The Mestos emerged from the hive in a steady stream. Their grotesque forms were a disturbing mix of a cockroach and a mosquito. Fenix's grip tightened on his oversized fork and knife as the first insect scuttled toward him, its mandibles clicking menacingly.

  With a swift motion, he brought his knife down, slicing through its hardened shell. The Mesto burst into a shower of particles, but not before spttering green goo all over him.

  More Mestos poured out, their wings creating an unsettling buzz. Fenix's movements were swift and precise. Each strike of his fork pinned a Mesto against the hive's sticky walls, and a follow-up ssh from his knife finished it off.

  One particurly rge Mesto leaped from the top of the hive, aiming straight at Fenix's face. He reacted just in time, using his fork to deflect its path. The insect crashed to the ground, dazed, and Fenix swiftly stomped on it, causing it to burst into particles with another sptter of goo.

  As the battle continued, the green goo from the sin insects coated Fenix's arms and face. He could feel the sticky substance sticking to his hair and clinging to his clothes.

  The stench was unbearable, a repulsive combination of decay and insect guts. Despite the discomfort, Fenix kept going. The sooner he killed these bugs the sooner he could get this gunk off him.

  Even though the Mestos were not particurly strong, their sheer numbers and agility presented a challenge. Several times, an insect managed to nd a bite or scratch on him, but his armor absorbed most of the damage.

  After what felt like an eternity, he finally killed all twenty of them. Due to his low stamina, Fenix felt exhausted. He finally realized just how hard close combat fighting was. It really took a lot of stamina.

  With a sigh, he retrieved the Organophosphate potion from his inventory. He scattered the potion over the hive, observing as it seeped into the crevices and cracks. He then sprayed the surrounding area, creating a protective barrier against future invasions.

  Finally, he headed towards a nearby ke and removed his armor before diving into the refreshing water, scrubbing away the remnants of his battle.

  After cleaning off all the bug guts, he returned to the woman to complete his quest. By the time he reached her house, the sun had started to set and darkness was creeping in. He knocked on the door of her run-down hut and waited for her to greet him.

  She swung open the door and ushered him inside, asking, “Did you do what I asked?”

  "Yes, Ma'am. The Mestos have been eliminated," he reported.

  "You have done well," she said with a warm smile.

  [System: Quest Completed!]

  [System: You have gained 200 EXP and 150 bronze coins!]

  [System: You have learned: Potion Making & Herbalism!]

  Potion Making: Once you know how creating potions with herbs is not such a difficult skill. But rare potions require equally rare ingredients, and extra care should be exercised when handling them. A pyer can create various potions with herbs. A pyer must have a brewing pot in order to use this skill. Potion-making uses one Stamina but cannot be used when Stamina is below two.

  Herbalism: Herbalism is a very important skill to have when identifying and gathering herbs in the wild. Gathering herbs is a delicate process, and beginners in Herbalism can often ruin intact herbs. Rare herbs tend to grow only in the most hazardous pces; therefore, you should regurly study the different kinds of herbs and practice careful gathering skills. It also passively increases the success rate of the harvesting skill and decreases the time required when gathering herbs from Herb Patches, while also granting a chance for the patch to drop two herbs at once.

  The woman guided him through the house and into the living room before disappearing into a back room. Rustling noises echoed from behind the closed door. After several minutes, she emerged with a few objects in her hands. Upon closer inspection, Fenix noticed that she was holding two books and a metal pot with a stirring spoon.

  “These were passed down to me from my grandmother when I began training as an Apothecary apprentice. She instructed me to give them to my first student, so I'm passing them on to you.”

  [System: You have gained A Basic Guide to Identifying Herbs!]

  [System: You have gained A Beginner's Guide to Potion-Making!]

  [System: You have gained a Medium-Sized Copper Pot and Spoon!]

  Medium-Sized Copper Pot and Spoon: These well-used potion-making tools have a rustic charm, with the pot's surface worn smooth from years of use. The pot features intricate engravings of mystical symbols around its rim, believed to enhance the brewing process. The spoon is crafted from sturdy copper, and its handle is shaped to fit comfortably in the hand. Together, they offer a 5% chance of potions not blowing up, providing a slight edge in successful potion crafting.

  The woman then proceeded to lecture Fenix about the intricate process of potion-making, leaving no detail unmentioned. Despite knowing most of it already, he appreciated the refresher course.

  Because even though 60% of the work in making potions would be handled by the system, he knew that the other 40% would have to be done by him. By the time the woman had finished her lecture, the sun had already set and risen again.

  "And most importantly," she emphasized. “The most crucial thing about being a potion maker is experimentation.”

  “Experimentation?” Fenix asked, since he didn’t remember the other potion maker, who gave him this lecture the first time around, mentioning this.

  "Yes, experimentation. Not all the potions have been discovered yet. New ones are still being created. Don't just rely on books. Do, do your own research and create something new." The woman's tone was firm.

  They continued to discuss potion-making further before Fenix decided to leave. He stowed the copper pot and spoon in his inventory and opened one of the books as he walked. When he flipped open the first one, ‘A Basic Guide to Identifying Herbs,’ a bright light appeared and a notification popped up.

  [System: An herb guide has been added to your character tab!]

  When he clicked on the tab, it dispyed a list of herbs ranked by level and where to find each one. Unfortunately, with his low herbalism skill, he could only collect three herbs from the list.

  The second book, 'A Beginner's Guide to Potion-making', had the same function as the first but focused on potions instead. It showed him which potions he could make and how to make them. But the recipes provided were basic and only gave 50 points for health or mana.

  To obtain better recipes, he would need to search for them, though he already knew some of their locations and wasn't too concerned about it. For now, he decided it would be best to use these novice recipes to level up his potion-making skill.

  Now that he had all the necessary skills, it was time to start leveling for real. But first, he wanted to gather all the items he needed before leaving the beginner town. Once he had five stacks of one hundred herbs and ingredients, he would start killing monsters for experience.

  Name: Chaotic Nexus Title: Fisherman’s Recognition

  Level: 5     EXP: 1405/1500 ←- (+500 each Lvl)

  HP: 130/130 MP: 110/110 Stamina: 110/110 ←- (+10 each Lvl)

  Stat points: 0 ←- (+3 each Lvl)

  Strength: 8 +3  Dexterity: 8 +3

  Intelligence: 6 +3 Luck: 7 +4

  Coins: 10 Gold, 0 Silver, 782 Bronze