On the porch, I watched Milia go through some sword motions. Then she meditated in midair, all the way until sunset. Of course, while she did that, I once again found myself pondering on the reason why I got sent to this world. For the millionth time since arriving to this mysterious world, I wondered what truly the hell was going on.
I declined the other classes, including the over-the-top nonsense. Instead of choosing a life consisting of an endless journey, murderhobo shit, and other standard dangerous garbage, my ass decided to relax, kick back, make some gold, and explore a class that almost everyone would ignore. As a result, I’ve got myself a wife, a house, pets, and stable income, all from not killing people. This didn’t satisfy the system, I guess. That, or the energy that was presumably meant for some of the deadlier classes still needed to go somewhere, leaving the mysterious entity no choice but to form my core from it.
I had no intention of meditating, so the system installed an automatic cultivation system within me. Or this method was just one of my various perks, like the superstrength and speed. I froze, recalling a prompt. I totally did not find this in logs on the system menu.
[This world needs you. The dormant power within has been awakened and it is up to you to slay the darkness, defy the heavens, and become the greatest magic user of the land, of the world, of the universe.]
Dormant power? Yeah, right, the system gave me these powers. Could you imagine working two jobs to cover expenses only to come across superhuman abilities?
That aside, among the thoughts of my place in this world called Mondra, came the words Iris’s friend, Ronica said to me. They made me wonder just how many things were actually coincidence. A rare hallow, a bandit magician king with a powerful tamed griffin, and to put the cherry on top of this wobbly cake, the entirety of the hero’s party.
Leaving wasn’t exactly an option for me right now, not with a house and growing farm, but… No, I wouldn’t allow this system to drive me around like a crazy taxi. I committed to being the best potion maker on the planet and even then, I still had a long way to go.
But… I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if I lost control of everything. Word got out, the system flooded me with forced quests, and every magician on the continent wanted to know about the mysterious master spell caster. This town, Milia, and even the pets would be in danger.
A bark snapped me back into reality. I looked up to see Milia’s concerned eyes, Wolverine panting with Cheetara on his back, and even Beakwing gazing at me questioningly.
“Is it about what Ronica said?” Milia asked.
“Part of it,” I told her. “Really, it’s only now that I’ve really thought about how serious my situation could get. You know, minding my own business aside. I’m not one for abandoning everything I built, but for everyone’s safety, I’ll do what I must.”
My dryad fiancée sat in my lap.
“I’ve got a simple solution, though it may sound irresponsible at first,” Milia said.
“Oh yeah? Lay it on me,” I said.
“Strange saying, but I’ve gotten used to your homeland’s speech,” Milia said, though it sounded as if she was trying to convince herself. “The solution, as simple as it may be, is to not care.”
My eyes widened, especially hearing that from the dryad, of all people. This sounded like something I’d say offhandedly. Or maybe in the right mind.
“That’s right,” she continued. “Continue, for everything right now is fine, keep running the shop, keep improving the prices for they may finally stop being so rampant. Keep being you, the man I fell in love with. If word gets out that there is talent way out here, so what? We’ll have new customers, and we’ll serve them just like the people of this town. We’ve committed no crime, so there is no reason why kingdom guards would waste their limited time marching here for one man, even if they had definite proof of his existence. I am certain that the rumors will bring more doubt than revelation, no? Your plans to turn this town into a place of fun… I’m really happy to be a part of it. The hard work by your side is more fulfilling than I’ve ever felt in my life. It feels like we’re already a married couple.”
I sat in silence, my arms around my dryad’s waist, stunned at her words.
“Just… keep being you, okay?” Milia said, her voice almost a plea.
Well, even I wasn’t as strong mentally as I thought. This was begging to turn me into a paranoid idiot. The simple solution remained the same. Fuck it. Simply don’t care. I’d cross the fame bridge when I got there. Until then, I was simply Nate, your friendly neighborhood potion maker, with a low failure rate.
“I will definitely keep being me,” I said. “Thanks for hearing me out. I didn’t think this weighed on me that much. But… I like that solution. In fact, it’s the only solution that makes sense.”
[The weight of it all. Infuriatingly reaffirming your resolve, you have unlocked more keys of the universe’s power. You may now see the rest of the realms. More information of your class is now unlocked.]
What I saw next in the system menu made me realize that my journey, if one could call it that, was still at the beginning.
[You’re already familiar with mana core realms which consist of: Mortal, Beginnings, Novice, Initiates, Adjusting, Midcore, Highcore, Lesser Dragon, Saint, Higher Dragon, King, Emperor, Master Magician.]
[Breaking through into the dense gold core will bring you: Crystal Saint, Divine Dragon, Crystal Divine Master Magician, Warlock, Arch Magician, Divine Arch Magician, Universe Roamer.]
[Your class upgrades consist of: Initiate, Rookie Potion Maker, Established, Inspired, Seasoned, Veteran, and Master Potion Maker. As you progress, you will unlock new potions and even special methods of brewing.]
[You may have heard the term, alchemist, but your class and that profession are not the same. You may become one if you choose, but they specialize in medicine and science-based substances, various agents one may find in everyday life such as cleaners, or paints. Many of them aren’t magicians. Magic isn’t needed for these substances, after all. On the other hand, you have no limit to what you can brew, from magical healing to mana potions, and various fantastical abilities should you come across the formulas or invent said recipes.]
Receiving all of that information almost gave me a little whiplash, to be honest. For one, I still don’t know why the system was still insistent on me cultivating mana to defy the heavens, but if I had to make a guess, due to more information of my class being visible, perhaps progression in these required mana. Maybe that and actually committing to the class. I bet the evil system was waiting for me to come to my senses, request a class change and become the supreme dunce of the hero it wanted me to be.
For the first time, I realized the system had either given up on that terrible dream it had, or felt a little remorse for dragging a guy into a shitty situation. Then it had the audacity to hide my class’s progression. What a goddamn douche canoe.
“Milia,” I said.
“Hmm?”
“Thanks,” I told her.
Milia snuggled into me. “You know, I left my forest originally to help you out. You gave something highly precious to the land, planted it new friends, without expecting anything in return. It was curious behavior for a strangely dressed man who appeared out of nowhere. I didn’t think the heavens sent me a husband.”
We both looked at each other and then laughed.
That night as I took a look at my stat sheet, I noticed a new addition and realized the difficulty of ranking up this class.
Nate
Class: Potion Maker. Secondary class: **Divine Master Magician**.
Magician rank: 12th realm of the Highcore.
Class rank: Special Rookie Potion Maker.
Ability: Can make up to SSS and divine-grade potions.
Power: Crushing Strong.
Defense: Emboldened Steel.
It sucked being classified as a rookie, being able to make up to divine-grade potions, but such a status only meant I had something to work on. Besides, it wasn’t wrong. The stupid system mostly left me to figure out everything on my own and still withheld information. If I could reclaim wasted materials from failed brews, that’d be great. The skeleton’s bone dust would continue to remain on hold until Nia finished the special cauldron.
The next day, after morning activities, we informed the teenagers of today’s plans. They wanted to run the shop, but I declined, unwilling to risk things in the case of the hero returning while I was out.
We waited at a food stand until Iris arrived, but she didn’t just come with one friend. She came with the entire party, hero included. I expected a glare, but the guy looked nervous. Hell, I could almost feel his terror.
Too bad I was the let bygones be bygones type, or I’d give him a lame little cartoon speech. News flash, I had no intention of being this guy’s friend and would beat him up again if he gave me an excuse. Call it being a dick if you want, but he was the one who abused his power while believing I was a normal defenseless person. I assumed he did that a lot to get whatever he wanted. Although, given how he made it sound like the greatest fucking honor to work under his service, not many people rejected the brat.
I gave Iris a look. She flinched, then seeing that I didn’t make a move to vaporize her, smiled sheepishly. Honestly, the white-haired elf was so adorable that I couldn’t stay fully mad. Milia, on the other hand, kept her face expressionless, but I could practically feel her sighing.
“They saw Ronica and I leaving and insisted on coming,” Iris said. “Thanks to a certain unreliable hero,” she glared at Ramon, “everyone’s going for our safety.”
“Stating it like that kind of adds tension where there should be none,” Kelvin said. The dark man with a buzz cut was dressed in a set of dark blue armor with both snow and the hero’s logo embedded onto the chest plate. The armor looked like any high-level armor straight out of a fantasy video game, novel, or anime. Cool as hell, and I kind of wanted it. “I feel silly. Seeing you here with your wife and unarmed, I apologize for thinking the worst of you.”
I blinked, actually surprised. Maturity in the hero’s party from more than just Iris? We were getting somewhere.
Kelvin did look to be at least thirty. I wasn’t about to bother with Iris’s age with her being an elf and all. Even my sister gave me vicious looks when I accidentally reminded the woman about her age.
I waved off his comment, deciding to tone down the shit I planned to give them. Especially Iris. The elf still seemed a little flustered. On the other hand, Ronica was cheery. The bubbly girl, probably until combat. It was always those types that you shouldn’t underestimate.
“Please, let me introduce our party,” Iris said to my dismay, but I couldn’t bitch. They were helping me get the ice crystal, after all. I had to verify this.
“Before you do that, you did tell them where we’re going and why, right?” I asked, though not without raising my pressure. They likely scanned me after all, hence the lack of complaints about mortals going with them to a dungeon. Iris confirmed this with her next words.
“I did,” Iris replied. “Anyway, you’ve already met Ronica.” She nodded at the petite, cheerful girl. Even though I analyzed the party already and she probably knew it, the elf woman introduced every single one of them. Kelvin and the women were friendly. Maxus, an obvious rogue, and the hero remained standoffish, distant. Which suited me just fine. I had no intention of befriending any of them, aside from Iris. She at least tried and even Milia didn’t mind her, except for the over-admiration.
I turned to Milia. “How far is the dungeon again?”
“By flight, it should take about half an hour,” Milia said.
The dryad would have my back and I, hers, of course. If you think we trusted any of them, think again. After all, the hero had prepared to destroy my damn house and I still felt bitter about that. For all I knew, Iris could be putting on an act and they could be planning to betray us in the dungeon.
Okay, perhaps that was a bit paranoid. For one, I could just freeze them in place with just a tiny revelation of a killing intent. Not that I should have to feel murderous, but if they tried anything, I’d end up doing the Peace Spawner a favor. Since it was his fault they were in this town bugging me, I wasn’t exactly keen on doing such a thing.
I turned back to the others. “I know you have amazing horses, never seen anything like them. Follow us, alright?”
Iris actually pouted. “You’re not going to offer us a ride?”
Kelvin laughed. “Now, now, Iris, this is a man thinking twenty steps ahead. It’s nothing personal.”
Iris sighed before eyeing me. “It’s understandable, given what happened. I’m not naïve. Lead the way, and we’ll follow the griffin’s aura.”
“Yep, yep, let’s go,” I said. “And Iris, keep being you. There’s someone on your team who can learn a thing or two.”
“Unless Iris is complaining,” Maxus said, laughing, gaining a glare from the elf woman.
“Are you ready, Milia?” I asked my dryad fiancée.
“Sure thing,” she said.
We mounted Beakwing, waited for the hero’s party to get on their horses, but before asking the griffin to go, Harmony’s voice chimed through the air.
“Wait!”
We all turned to her. I noticed the hero leering at my blue-haired apprentice, giving me the perfect opportunity to crush any hopes and dreams of trying anything. Not that I gave a damn who Harmony dated in her free time. But she’d get a friendly warning, a head’s up.
“Ah, have you guys met my first apprentice?” I asked, gaining the paleness I wanted. “Or rather, I should say our apprentice. Milia trains her even more.”
“Here’s a message from Mandi,” Harmony said, handing me a slip of paper. “I wanted to hand that off to you before I forgot about it.”
“Thanks,” I said to the blue-haired girl. “Now you get back to enjoying your day off. If you haven’t already, do you mind seeing if Lucas needs anything? Whenever you feel like it, show him around if he’s unfamiliar with the town.”
“Sure,” Harmony said.
“Anyway, we’re off.”
“Good luck on your trip, Nate, Milia,” she said, her voice upbeat. She started off toward Lucas’s house. She was wasting no time. A kind girl, almost like a heroine of her own story that would result in her master getting… I seriously needed to stop with the cliché references. Especially when I was the only one being amused by them.
Ramon looked defeated and was probably pissed at this mystery Lucas character but couldn’t do a damn thing about it.
“So you have an apprentice,” Iris said. “Are you—”
I interrupted her with, “Let’s get moving. Time is of the essence.”
I nodded to Milia. She pat Beakwing’s head, sending him directions magically and soon, we were airborne.
“He’s full of arrogance,” Ramon Thunderblade said to his party as they followed the speedy griffin on the lightning horses.
“The only arrogant one here is you,” Iris said. “Idiot.”
“Too bad he’s getting married,” Ronica said. “You can’t have him.”
Iris rolled her eyes. “Do I look like the kind of girl who throws herself at every man?”
“Lighten up, I’m only kidding,” Ronica said, laughing. “You’d probably throw yourself on the dryad.”
“Men are useless,” Nuwa said, though Ramon heard her question at least a half a dozen times if it was possible to hold onto her purity every time she spotted a man that she fancied.
Kelvin laughed. “So, what will we do? Are we getting this guy to join our party? I hate to say it, but we shouldn’t leave without him. He may be our only hope.”
“It’s not like he’s the only master magician around,” Ramon snapped.
“The three that are around are tied to sects and good luck ever getting an audience with them,” Ronica said.
“It’s strange,” Ramon said. “He claimed we’re at the same realm, yet, one scan and I can’t sense the end of his strength.”
“That’s because there is no end,” Maxus said. “His mana, his power. Peeking into it is like trying to find the floor of a bottomless well.”
“Gee, I wonder why that’s familiar,” Ramon snapped. “But he’s clearly not the Peace Spawner. Believe me, we wouldn’t be here if he was.”
No one called Ramon a coward, as they all agreed that the Peace Spawner’s aura and presence of darkness and evil transcended reality itself. It was hard to believe that someone like that used to be a normal magician.
“What were you going to ask him, Iris?” Ronica asked.
“I… it’s not important,” Iris said. “We made a bad impression, and he doesn’t trust us.”
“Can’t blame him there,” Kelvin said. He patted Ramon on the back. “You’ve got a long way to go in order to fix this. Remember Nuwa’s words.”
“Fine, it’s my fault, I get it,” Ramon said. “How was I supposed to know we’d run into a master magician out here, of all places?”
“That’s not the point,” Nuwa said. “You must learn the path of kindness, or you will never gain the power required to counter the Peace Spawner. And he’ll use that darkness in your heart against you.”
Ramon flinched but couldn’t say anything. Nuwa was right, after all. Like always.
