The next day, I returned to the Void Mall.
I appear in my personal quarters and take the opportunity to check my status window. A few days ago, when I reached level twenty, I completed a main mission of the System and I'm curious to know what the reward is. So, I ask it, and it responds, still in its cold voice:
"Upon reaching level 20, the host unlocked the Alchemy Department."
"Oh, what does this new department allow me to do, and is it already implemented?" I ask the System, or do I need to request it?
"The Alchemy Department is currently available and can be found on the second floor, at the back of the mezzanine. The expansion of the store allows you to focus on the practice of alchemy, offering equipment, tools, and ingredients for transmuting materials, creating elixirs, and conducting experiments. It could also provide instruction on how to create advanced golems, offering a variety of golems for various purposes, such as personal assistants, security bots, or industrial automation."
"Wow, that sounds incredibly useful, and I imagine that all these services provided by the System are not free?"
"Affirmative, each service has a corresponding price, and customers must also pay a small energy crystal per hour to access the facilities."
I nod, happy with this addition to my shop.
Sitting, sipping tea in the kitchen, I suddenly reflect on the events of the past few months as I open my status window.
I have assimilated two new monsters: the Piquolou and the Marsh Oyster. The Piquolou is a powerful canine with piercing yellow eyes and a golden brown body covered with oversized spines. It can raise the spines on its body to protect itself and strike with its tail. When it strikes with its tail, it dislodges spines that automatically embed themselves in the flesh of the opponent. The Marsh Oyster is a small slimy creature with a hard shell that settles in marshes and attacks by swallowing its prey, enclosing it in its shell and then creating acid and suffocating smoke to kill and digest its victim.
Hunting these two monsters and Kobolds has allowed me to gain a lot of experience over the past three months. My efforts during these months have borne fruit and have officially made me a D-ranked mercenary.
Name: Heolstor Xel'Mourndor
Level: 20
Profession: Void Merchant (Ordinary)
Talent: Void acquisition
STATS: ● Strength: 10+7
● Agility: 11+8
● Intelligence: 10+4
● Mana: 10+4
● Dexterity: 11+2
● Luck: 10
● Constitution: 10+6
STATS TO DISTRIBUTE: 60
Skills:
● Previous skills ●
● Darkvision ● Object animation ●
● Novice close combat ● Reflexes ●
● Passive vibration perception ● Bonds ●
● Manufacturing ● Damage resistance ●
● Incendiary cloud ● Acidification ●
● Universal communication ●
Void acquisitions:
Acquired (7str/6agi/4int/4mana/2dex/5con)
● Piquolou (2agi) ● Swamp oyster (1con) ●
"My new skills from the past few months are quite practical. Reflex helps me react, Acidification allows my musket shots to be corrosive in addition to being electric. I also discovered while practicing that I can electrify and acidify my Fire Cloud skill, making the cloud even more deadly. When testing it on Kobolds, I noticed that the cloud turned black and red with shades of neon green. If you look closely, you can see small electric arcs moving inside. The cloud not only burns and darkens vision, but also slows down and weakens defenses.
My Universal Communication skill is simple but very practical as it allows me to communicate with any intelligent being.
I am probably one of the most powerful Merchants of my age," I thought to myself with a smile. "But I shouldn't boast about it, because even though reaching level 20 is rare, it only applies to those with common professions like Workers, Farmers, etc…
Satisfied with myself, it's time for me to focus on my shop.
As I enter the boutique section, I see Zéro and MT sitting at a table, talking. They stop when they hear the door open and look at me.
"My Lord, you're back," exclaims Zéro.
"Yes, I arrived not too long ago. How are things going here? Have you had a visit from Loealun and Gor'Lhemakgney?" I ask, wondering if they would come today. They visit quite regularly, often enough that I had to expand, with the help of the System, an extension so that some of them can perform their religious ritual…
"My Lord, we had some customers visit and most of them bought potions. No incidents occurred during your absence, except for the appearance of a new door on the upper floor," he tells me in his deep voice, bowing his head.
Sitting down with them, I commend them for their work and inform them that I will take care of the new department, as it is a new addition.
After chatting with them for a while, I decided to go see the new department. I take the door in the center of the mezzanine and reappear in a large circular workshop with transparent walls, revealing the same landscape as the main shop.
Several alchemy tables made of black stone, adorned with unknown runes, surround a large interactive screen made of advanced and unfamiliar technology.
When I ask the System what the purpose of the large screen is, it responds: "This is the Alchemy Laboratory, My Lord. It is equipped with state-of-the-art technology for advanced potion and item creation, as well as research and experimentation."
"In order to respond to the host, this screen is equipped with an interface that offers a wide range of options for alchemical ingredients in the form of icons or images. The ingredients are categorized, such as plants, minerals, liquids, powders, crystals, etc. The individual can navigate through the different categories using simple touch or voice commands, and can pay using gold coins or energy crystals, which are credited to their account. The cost of each ingredient is determined based on its rarity, potency, and difficulty to obtain."
"Oh wow, that's incredible," I replied, surprised as I looked at the screen. "Do I have access to all of this for free, and how do I credit the customers with gold coins?"
"Affirmative, the host has free access to the ingredients. To answer the second question, customers simply need to create an account via the registry at the main counter and deposit their crystals or gold coins into the box. Once done, their account will be credited with an equivalent amount to what was deposited."
After the System's explanations were finished, I was pleasantly surprised. This extension is going to be convenient and could bring me a lot of profit. Besides potion making, the workshop also allows for the creation of mechanical golems, and I happen to have an apprentice who specializes in that.
After inspecting the workshop, I go back to MT and Zero, discussing my future plans and explaining the new department to them. I instruct MT to create mechanical golems in his free time.
After talking to them, I decide to return to the world of Farran.