Fenix's nimble fingers danced over the copper pot, expertly mixing ingredients and pouring the liquid into small vials. The air was heavy with the scent of herbs and chemicals when he finally completed the 20 stamina potions Melvin had requested.
But Fenix didn't stop there; his ultimate goal was to reach a high enough skill level to save money on renting a potion b. With the recipes he had, he calcuted that he could just barely reach that level before they stopped giving him experience.
After all, potion-making was like second nature to him—it had been his specialty in his previous life. He knew these potions inside and out, making the task almost too easy.
Before he knew it, he had made 100 of each potion recipe, achieving the necessary skill level that would allow him to make potions outside. Some pyers might wonder why he would choose to make potions outside instead of in a comfortable, sterile room with no distractions.
But unlike tailors and bcksmiths who can work comfortably indoors, potion makers have to venture out to gather rare ingredients from various locations such as mountaintops or deep within forests. While he could always purchase these ingredients, why waste money when he had the skills to collect them himself?
After successfully using all his materials without any failures (which would have been embarrassing given his past-life knowledge), Fenix opened his profile and checked his skill tab. His Potion Making skill level had far surpassed what he was aiming for. He had achieved level 6 when his goal was only level 5. Now, all that remained was to level up his Herbalist skill, but that could wait for ter.
With a satisfied smile, Fenix went back to his profile to check his energy bar. After two hours of work, he was pleased to see that it was still somewhat high, which meant he wouldn't need to rest for a while.
Just as he was about to close his character screen, he noticed he had 15 stat points that he hadn't used yet. He quickly allocated them: four in HP, four in Stamina, two in Intelligence, two in Dexterity, and three in Luck before closing out of his profile.
Name: Chaotic Nexus Title: Fisherman’s Recognition
Level: 10 EXP: 14/4000 ←- (+500 each Lvl)
HP: 210/210MP: 160/160 STA: 200/200←- (+10 each Lvl)
Stat points: 15 ←- (+3 each Lvl)
Strength: 8 +3 Dexterity: 10 +3
Intelligence: 8 +3 Luck: 10 +4
Coins: 9 Gold, 993 Silver, 900 Bronze
Fenix then opened his inventory and carefully stowed away the potions he had just brewed. It was finally time to go hunting for some Bellyborg meat.
Consulting his map, he noted the Bellyborgs were situated in the northern part of the woods, just outside town. That meant, if he didn’t get sidetracked, it would take him about 15 minutes to reach there.
~
As he made his way towards the woods, Fenix couldn't help but feel self-conscious as people openly stared and whispered about his race.
It was understandable since, at the moment in the game, Dryads were considered trash, but it was still irritating. He only felt relief after escaping the stares once he left town and entered the forest. Although he knew he might encounter monsters in the woods, he preferred being seen as prey than being looked at with contempt.
As he walked deeper into the forest, he spotted some wild strawberries and patches of Awegel. He carefully plucked them from the ground with a smile.
After walking for about ten minutes, Fenix heard loud squawking noises up ahead. He knew this meant he was getting close. Increasing his pace to a jog, he soon reached a clearing where dozens of Bellyborgs were roaming about.
Looking at their frail appearance, Fenix thought they would be an easy kill. With a confident smile, he pulled out his weapons.
"It's go time," Fenix thought to himself as he cautiously approached the nearest Bellyborg. He tiptoed towards it, keeping as quiet as he could. However, just as he was about to strike the creature bolted away with surprising speed. In an effort not to lose it, Fenix lunged forward, giving chase.
Through the thick underbrush and over fallen logs, Fenix pursued the Bellyborg. As he closed in, his foot caught on a hidden tree root, sending him sprawling to the ground with a painful thud.
Groaning, Fenix y still for a moment, the wind knocked out of him. The Bellyborg, sensing the pause in pursuit, darted away into the trees and vanished from sight. Fenix sighed in frustration and attempted again with another Bellyborg, only to encounter the same result.
Realizing that stealth was futile against these speedy beasts, Fenix decided to switch tactics. Would he call it a brilliant strategy? Definitely not, since his new pn involved charging at the nearest Bellyborg like a madman. But no matter how fast he was or how close he got, they always seemed to sense him and dart away.
After an exhausting hour of chasing without catching even one Bellyborg, Fenix gave up in defeat. It was clear that his current strategy wasn't working - it was time for a new pn of attack.
Feeling defeated and discouraged, Fenix slumped onto the grass, his mind racing as he tried to think up another pn. Just then, a notification popped up before him.
[System: ChibiScker is requesting a video chat. Do you accept it? Yes or No?]
Curious about why ChibiScker was calling so soon after their st conversation, Fenix tapped "Yes."
“Hey, guess what, I’m here!” ChibiScker's voice burst through the screen, brimming with excitement.
"That's great, but why didn't you stay with your cousin?” Fenix inquired, puzzled.
“I told you already, it’s boring over there. He's all about the grind, no fun at all,” ChibiScker replied.
Fenix guessed that his cousin must be trying to be a ranker. “Well, since you're here now, want to help me catch some Bellyborgs?”
“Bellyborg? What kind of monster is that?” ChibiScker asked, intrigued.
“They're these giant birds that are really tricky to catch. They're starting to drive me a bit crazy,” Fenix admitted.
Laughing, ChibiScker responded, “Alright, tell me where you are and I'll be right over. Sounds like a bst.”
