Record of a Thousand Lives

Thepairwho had cleared the second floor of theChimera Dimensionleftthealchemist guildbuilding. The sun was already setting, coloring the sky a dark orange hue.

Kang Yoon-Soo checked the date shown onhiswrist device.‘They’ll soon block the entrance to theChimera Dimension. Ihave tohurry.’Theyhad beenwalking towards the inn, but he suddenly changed his course.

“Where are you going?” Shaneth asked.

“The alchemy processing center,”Kang Yoon-Sooreplied.

Shaneth hurriedly followed him, saying, “I’ll go with you.”

“Rest at the inn,”Kang Yoon-Soo said, coldly rejecting her.

“Ah… It’sboring to be alone… Don't you feel lonely that way?”Shaneth tried appealing to him.

Kang Yoon-Soo stared at her,then walked away. Shaneth was certainly tired, but shegiggledas she followed him. He was quiet and emotionless, but she wanted to be beside him… Suddenly, her cheeks becamered hotwhen she realized her own thoughts.

The alchemy processing center was bustling even at thislatehour. Most of the people in it were alchemistswhowere manufacturing potions or tinkering with new recipes. The center was filled with warm steam from the activity, and it was quite noisy as well.

Anyone could use the alchemy processing center to manufacture potions or whatever recipe they hadas long as they paid the fee to use it. Also, they could get access to rare medicinal herbs if they paid an extra fee.

“Ah! Finally,it’s a success!”Afemale alchemist let out a shout of joy. A purple liquidfilledthe glass bottle she was holding. The color of a potion was clearer the more successful the process was, and the potion the female alchemist was holding was not bad at all.

The people around her started to clap one by one.They allunderstood that potion making was a long and arduous journey. Even if one knew the recipe,ifthere was a slight mistake in the process, the potion would end up being a liquid worth less than water.

A skilled alchemist would even beable to create a small pocket dimension, but it was not easy to reach that level justby beingan alchemist. In fact, if onelacked the skill, they would be bankruptedjust by buying materials before being able to grow as an alchemist.The Alchemist class requiredone to start with significant capital unless they were gifted.

“Welcome. Our center is open until midnight. We hope for your continued use and patronage of our center,” astaff member saidas she escorted thepairto their spot after receiving their payment.

Kang Yoon-Soo took out a landworm feeler. Perhaps because ithad beenkept ina warm placefor a long time, the feeler looked quite dry.

Shaneth remembered seeing him mixing the landworm feelerwithmead tohealWhite’s muscles.“Do you plan to use those feelers?” she asked.

“Yes,”Kang Yoon-Sooreplied in the usual manner,thenheaded toward thefacility’s material storage. ?There were bundles of dried medicinal herbsinside;such exotic plants had strong medicinal properties and were perfectfor useas potion materials.He started to putseveralherbs one by one into the basket without even checking them.

“Gerbera,blood-suckingplant, moonflower, blue herb, alcohol moss,insect-eatinglotus, and explosive cactus. The explosive cactus is expensive and has highly combustible properties;will you be alright with it?” the staff member in charge of the materials asked.

“Yes,” Kang Yoon-Soo said as he took somegold coins out of his pocket.

The staff gavehima tiredsmile andsaid, “I have a piece of advice for you;please do not be offended and listen to it. The alchemists might look amazing because they make bombs and golems, but that is far from the truth. A lot of them end up causing explosions, and they are chased away from this center. Would you like to useeasier ingredientsto start with?”

“This is fine,” Kang Yoon-Soo answered as he collected the ingredients.

The staffmembercould only sigh at his reply.Shanethapproached himand apologized.“I’m really sorry;he might seem indifferent and rude, but he’s a nice person.”

Kang Yoon-Sooreturnedto his spot and started to work on the ingredients he had just bought. He ground up the landworm feelers into powder, then added the dried petals of a gerbera flower. He then boiled the moonflower, blue herb, and alcohol moss in a pot,andleft a part of the lid open to let the steam escape the pot.His movements wereneither slow nor fast. However,theywere thoseof someone who had made potions their whole life.

Shaneth was impressed by how Kang Yoon-Soo used all of the materials he had brought, unlike the other people in the room.“Is there anything I can help you with?” she asked.

“No,”Kang Yoon-Sooreplied.He then took a glance at Shaneth and added, “You’re tired.”

Shaneth had a small smile on her face. It was true that she was tired from battling chimeras all day, and she was thankful for how he seemed to be considerate despite his cold and indifferent personality. Nevertheless, she clung to him andinsisted, “No, let me help you.”

.

Kang Yoon-Soostared at her for a while before passing her theinsect-eatinglotus, saying,“Cut it into quarters.”

Shaneth grabbed a knife and started to diligently help Kang Yoon-Soo. She was already skilled with the knife because of her previous experience, andthus helped him greatly.

Kang Yoon-Soo weighed the remaining ingredientsanddivided them into portions. While he was preoccupied, the liquid in the pot turned black and sticky. Itappeared to bea complete failure.

The staff member that had warned him a while ago was spectating fromafar, andhis expression suggested he had expected that tohappen.

At that moment, Kang Yoon-Soo took out what appeared to be a rock from his backpack. Ithad a faint glow to it—it wasachimera heart fragment. He poured all of the heart fragments he had into the pot; the rock-hard fragmentsstarted to melt and mix intothe black liquid in the pot.

After hours of boiling, the previously black liquid miraculously turned into a transparent and bright green liquid.

“It’s a success!” Shaneth exclaimedjoyfully, and the people around them started clapping one by one. Theonlookerscould not believe what had happened either. It was actually common forfirst-timersto waste their money at the alchemist processing center.

Kang Yoon-Soo poured the liquid intosmall glass bottles, and he managed to fill a total of twenty bottles from that one pot.

[Adrenaline Potion]

Thispotioncan restorestamina to the user no matter how tired they are. The senses and reflexes of the user will be greatly increased. However,anoverdose of this potion will put agreatstrain on the user’s body.

After hefinished brewingthepotion, anew skill was created.

[You have gained an achievement through yourhandiwork.]

[A new skill, ‘Potion Making’, has been created.]

[Potion Making]

Skill Level: 1 (00.00%)

You can create potions by mixing ingredients.

Kang Yoon-Soo boiled the remainingadrenalinepotion in the pot, and the bright greenliquidstarted to turn pinkish.

[High-GradeHealing Potion]

A potion that heals external wounds; it is more effective than normal healing potions because of the excellent craftsmanship of the maker.

[The skill level of ‘Potion Making’ has increased.]

[Potions you create will havetheireffective duration increased.]

[The skill level of ‘Potion Making’ has increased.]

[Potions you consume will havetheireffect spread throughout your body.]

[The skill level of ‘Potion Making’ has increased.]

[Potions will taste sweet, makingthemeasier to consume. Medicine created in powder form will be more effective.]

The ‘Potion Making’ skill increased by three levels in an instant, and it did not end there. Kang Yoon-Soo raised his right hand and said,“Summon Evil Chimera.”

“Kirururuk…”An undead chimera suddenly showed up, and the alchemists around it started to panic.

“That’s an undead! No, is it a chimera?”

“What? He was a necromancer?”

Necromancers dealt with black magic, and they were quite rare because of their need to deal with corpses. Also, it was nearly impossible to find a necromancer that was skilled inpotion-making.

Kang Yoon-Soo paid no heed to the surrounding peopleas he said,“Evil chimera.”

“Kiruruk…?”

“Kill yourself,” Kang Yoon-Soo commanded.

“Kirururuk!”

Bam!

The evil chimera smashed its head ontothe floor, and its head exploded as it dropped dead. The remains of the undeadcreaturestarted to rapidly decompose and turn into sand, and numerousbones fromvarious monsters were left behind.

Kang Yoon-Soo picked up theassorted bones and started to grindthemdown intopowderwith apestle.He ground up agoblin’s rib, an orc skull, and even what seemed to be a giant’s toe bone; Shanethhelped himwith the task.

Ssakak…Ssakak…!

Kang Yoon-Soo gathered the bone powder and the explosive cactus into a pile, and boundtheminto a small ball with a cloth—thefinal resultlooked exactly like a bomb.

[Powerful Small Bomb]

Rating: Normal

Explosiveness: 43

A small bomb that is easy to carry around. It is small butitsexplosiveforceis very powerful; asit contains flammable substances, its powerwill increase when it comes in contact with fire. It willalso explode upon impact.

[You have gained an achievement through yourhandiwork.]

[A new skill, ‘Explosives Creation’, has been created.]

[Explosives Creation]

Skill Level: 1 (00.00%)

Your handling of explosives and gunpowder will increase, and your understanding of flammable substances will increase.

“Let’s go,” Kang Yoon-Soo told Shaneth as he put the bomb in the backpack. Shaneth followed after him. The remaining alchemists stareddumbfoundedlyat the workstationhehadjust used.

It was already dawnby the time theyleft the alchemist processing center. Shaneth let out a yawn as she stretched her arms, saying, “Today was really tiring. I can’t wait to go to the inn and get some sleep.”However, Kang Yoon-Soo wasn’tgoinginthe direction of the inn.Shaneth tilted her head in confusion and asked, “Ehm… That isn’t the way to the inn. That’s the way to thealchemist guild.”

“I know,” Kang Yoon-Soo replied.

“Then why are you going that way…?”

“To hunt.”

Shaneth’s eyes shot wide open in surpriseas she asked,“What? You mean now?”

“Yes,”Kang Yoon-Sooreplied as he took out anadrenalinepotion from the backpack and passed it to her.“Drink it,” he added.

Shaneth received the potion and askedtearfully, “Do we really have to go now…?”

“I told you to rest a while ago,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.

She was speechless, but since she had volunteered to follow him after all…Shaneth drank theadrenalinepotion in one go.

[You have drunk the ‘Adrenaline Potion’.]

[You will not be able to sleep for 24 hours.]

[You will be able toperformstrenuous movements without losing stamina.]

[You will not feel pain from minor injuries.]

[Your muscles have strengthened.]

[However, there will be severe sideeffects.]

The potion made by Kang Yoon-Soo had amazing effects.Shaneth’sfatigue left her body and she felt reinvigorated just by drinking a bottle. She felt as if she could flap her arms and fly away—of course, thatwasjust how she felt, and shewould not beable to actually fly.She pumpedher fist andshoutedout loud, “Thispotionis really amazing! My body is full of strength!”

“But theside effects aresevere,” Kang Yoon-Soo said.

“What sideeffects?”.

“All of the fatigue and muscle pain will come at once.”

“Please tellme beforeI drinksuch a potionnext time…”

“Then you won’t drink it.”

“I feel like killing someone right now…”

“I know.”

“Do you want to die…?”

Theargument between an indifferent man and a loud womanpersisted all the way to theChimera Dimension.