The battle rage on. Every movement was a clash as fire, ice, and lightning ripped apart the stadium. The barrier strained and waned under the weight of the explosions. Jing Yu stabbed his sword into the ground. Mist formed from the cut in the ground cover the whole stage. The screen went eerily quiet. Nothing moved until the smoke flashed with thunderous lightening.
The silluettees appeared on the smoky mist. A loud screech was heard over the screen. It was so loud that Asher was forced to cover his ears as the sound was awful like the screech of a hell beast. The smoke cleared as Jing Yu was laying on the ground with Carmon stood over him.
"Wait what happened?" Asher and the whole of the crowd asked themselves. No one was able to see what Carmon did, but that screech must have come from a sound element attack. Jing Yu was on the ground unconscious.
Asher scratch his head as Carmon was declared the winner. The crowd began to become increasing rowdy and loud. Some were shouting happy at Carmon's victory while others were angry. Asher left through the throng of people before they would start a drunken bar brawl. He had back to the shop. He milled over the fight he witness. There was so many thing happening.
Carmon would deflect or divert attacks while Jing Yu's attack were as strong as a god's wrath. The two were titan of magic, and the fight could have gone ether way. Each one was beyond what Asher could imagine was possible.
That was the top that people could reach. It was like standing at the base of a mountain and looking up at the peak. It seemed so far away, but there was nothing to do but climb. Asher pulled out the ingredient he needed.
He propped open the alchemy grimoire. "Let's see. Peel the fruit and boil the skins till it dissolves, then add basic nettles, flame floor and salamander scales." Asher followed the instructions to the letter.
He put the peels on in the caldron and mixed the water. As the peels dissolved, the solution became increasingly red and there was a warmth that radiated it. He mixed in the other ingredients then carefully mixed it. Once he was sure that the mixture was thoroughly mixed, he mashed the fruits to a paste in a crucible before placing in the distiller.
He used a magic item to control the flame under the caldron. Thankfully he found one since Cynthia could control the flame with her fire element. As he mixed the potion, several lights formed in the solution. The strongest was a bright red light.
The lights floated until the red light consumed them all and dispersed into the liquid. "That was... Weird." Asher looked through the grimoire to see if there was explanation, but found nothing of note. "I guess it is fine." He scratched his head.
Asher continued the process. It involved filtering, distilling, and diluting the solution. When he finished the solution, he filled a glass vial. Asher lifted it to the light to examine the contents. The vial contained a beautiful red color.
Ad Asher turned over the vial in his hand, it slipped from his fingers, and broke on the floor as it did the vial exploded throwing him against the wall.
[-17 Hp.]
[Warning: You have received a dangerous level of damage. Further damage can be dangerous.]
Asher rubbed his head as the room was spinning, and it was hard to think. "Did some get the number on that bus?" Asher managed to summon a health potion.
The dizziness disappeared as he gulped it down. "Now I see why people can't transport this stuff damn that hurt. I think I might have broken a rip." Once the pain disappeared Asher spent the rest of the day locked away in the lab.
He was more careful this time. Making sure to put the vials into his inventory rather than risk handling them. Calling them volatile was an understatement. In the end Asher had enough material to make about 40 vials.
"Great, now I have the firepower of a small artillery. I need to be careful with these. If I accidently drop one, it might blow me into pieces. Now that I think about it. I was hurt, but I don't think it was fatal. So what would happen if I reach 0 HP, if I feel sort of okay at 1 HP." Asher thought it over. "Let's just hope it does not come to that."
Asher made one extra potion to submit to Cynthia when she got back. He spend the rest of the day buried in book after book. Asher wanted to find a incantation that could be useful, but it was difficult. Most incantation took to long to be useful while other were just irrelevant.
"An illusion that makes even rotten food tastes like a gourmet meal. That just sounds like a bad prank. I guess it can be used to make bad food palatable, but who would waste mana on something so dumb." Asher looked over them before changing books. "Now I am starting to see why my elements are considered lack luster."
Asher flipped through the books one by one before his eyes land on one. "Wait, what? How is this possible?" Asher's lips twisted into a cruel grin. "Perfect."
_____________________
Asher returned to the guard house at the gate the following day. He stayed up late into the night making sure to commit the incantation to memory, and testing it to the full extent. Asher flipped through his notebook. It detailed every part of his experiment. "To think an enchantment incantation would be that promising."
Asher did not take to steps two step into the guard house before he was met with a familiar wall of muscle. Asher could not process his thoughts before he was force into a viper-like bear hug. "Oh sugar, how are you?"
Asher vision start switch between darkness and light as he slipped out of conciseness. "Cann''tt... brea.... Hellen." Helen finally set the small boy down. Asher finally could breathe normally. "If.. you.. keep.. doing... I... am.. going.. die." Asher could only speak in short burst as he tried to catch his breath.
"Ohhh, I am sorry sorry sweetie. It has just been awhile. You look so thin. Are you eating enough? Are you taking care of yourself? You need to make sure you get plenty rest. If you don't then you will get stuck being small your whole life. You need to get big and strong." Helen was acting like a worried mother.
Asher would never admit it, but it was nice to have someone fret over him like that. It felt the same as having his mother back. The one from this world anyway.
"Yes, yes I am eating well and resting enough." Asher sighed, "What are you even doing here? This is a long walk from the adventure's guild."
"I am delivering my husband's lunch. He forgot it this morning." She held up a pretty wicker picnic basket. It was an odd sight seeing a full grown hulk of a woman holding such a cute basket. Now that Asher thinks about it see was not wearing the guild's uniform. She was much more casual.
"You're husband???" Asher thoughts ran a mile a minute. 'Wait a minute. Isn't it rare to find anyone over 25 in the army. Don't tell me?' Asher felt like he was hit with lightning as the revelation. 'Helen is a cougar. Who is the poor slap that married that.'
"Oh hello my little snowflake. What bring you here?"
'Little snowflake. There is nothing little about this snowflake.' Asher turned to see the Regard walking up with a big grin. 'Okay go back to the cougar theory that is less weird.' Regard walked up hugging and kissing Helen. 'I have heard of wives resembling their husbands, but I don't think this is what they meant.' Asher thought immediately what unholy muscle abomination that these two would have.
Regard finally noticed Asher standing with a bleak face staring awkwardly. "Ohhh mmmm." He stepped back with a blush on his face from embarrassment. "Asher. You're here." Asher glared at him. 'Why not say that with more disappointment?'
"You did tell me to come by today." 'Remember.' Asher shouted in his mind.
"Yes, right. I arranged an instructor for you to get some combat experience." Regard hurriedly said. "They should be outside in the training yard. You should head out there and meet them." Regard waved Asher away.
Asher looked at Regard with a knowing look. "Don't look at me like that. I just think it would be good for you to begin your training as soon as possible."
'Yeah, righttttt.' Asher rolled his eyes. 'Never knew Regard was such a dog.' "I understand. Enjoy your 'lunch' with your wife." Asher left waving good-bye to Regard before he could argue. 'Those two seem perfect for each other.'