"XP Potions?" Marius mumbled while picking up one of the bottles and inspecting it by holding it up to his eye, then played with it.
The name itself made it clear what it was - he knew it was most likely a potion that grants XP when consumed.
What he didn't know was how much he would gain. The potential gain from drinking the potion was unknown, as it could range from 1 XP to 100 XP.
Marius made his intentions crystal clear as he eagerly opened the potion and immediately took a gulp. As the green liquid descended into his stomach, an odd sensation washed over him.
Feeling a slight discomfort, he shook his head and covered his mouth, attempting to hold in the unpleasant taste that left a strong aftertaste and caused his stomach to rumble.
"Uh… I feel like I'm about to throw up…" As Marius tried to regain his composure, he rubbed his eyes and shifted his attention to the goddess. "Can you get me some water, please?"
"At once, hero." Ayla, who had been silently watching, went to go in search of water and began rummaging around the carriage.
As she did so, Marius sat down on the wooden seat. He leaned over in an attempt to avoid fainting. Was this really a XP Potion?
Could this have been another option? Did the goddess deceive him? He realized he should have been more cautious around her.
Mariu's mind was racing with thoughts, and he began to experience a sudden, intense pain in his stomach. Regret set in. It would have been better if he had let the goddess try it first.
As she returned, Ayla brought back a container of water and handed it over.
Marius quickly set aside the empty potion bottle and eagerly began gulping down the water, as if his survival relied on it. He leaned back, tilting his head slightly upward to drink it all in.
After finishing the entire drink and letting out a contented sigh, he heard a message from the female mechanical voice in his mind.
[Ding! You have drank a XP Potion]
[XP: +10]
[You have acquired the title: (Endless Imbiber)]
[Effect: Bottomless Stomach]
Description: Awarded upon drinking your first potion with an insatiable thirst and demonstrating an exceptional ability to consume with no adverse effects. Your resilience to potion toxicity and your enhanced metabolism allow you to indulge endlessly without concern for harm]
Marius, while wiping his mouth, chose to click on the icon for "character profile" instead of verbally calling it out.
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Character Profile:
Name: Marius Von Sledge
Age: 22
Race: Hero
Level: 4
Experience: 25 / 40
Hit Points: 10 / 10
Mana: 24 / 25
Class: Necromancer
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With a swift sweep of his gaze over the system window, Marius dismissed it. With level 5 just within reach, he felt a surge of satisfaction, knowing that he could finally unlock the shop and allocate his skill points.
Overcoming the lingering aftertaste and stomach pain, he placed the water down and directed a displeased look at the goddess, his face still retaining a hint of pale.
"You never mentioned that it would hurt or taste awful," Marius voiced his complaint.
As Ayla started responding, she also grabbed the remaining two XP Potions and gave them to him. "The first time always hurts. I didn't think it would be best to tell you."
Frustrated, Marius sighed and facepalmed. 'Whatever...' He thought to himself. He wasn't going to complain too much since it didn't harm him and actually benefitted him, although he planned to discuss with her later about being more transparent about these things.
Putting on a small smile, he was excited to see the shop being unlocked. So, he wasted no time in drinking the remaining two XP Potions, experiencing no taste or stomach pain this time.
Thanks to the title Endless Imbiber, he could now drink as much potions as he wanted without feeling sick or it tasting like shit.
[Ding! You have drank a XP Potion]
[Ding! You have drank a XP Potion]
[XP: +10]
[XP: +10]
[You have leveled Up!]
[Stat Points: +1]
[Skill Points: +1]
[Congratulations, you now have unlocked the shop!]
The mechanical female voice came to a halt, and immediately, a system window materialized in front of Marius, who was putting away the empty XP Potions.
[Description: In the Shop, as you advance in levels, you gain access to unlock new skills. However, acquiring these skills requires skill points, which can vary depending on the skill. Some skills may demand a significant investment of skill points, while others may be more attainable. Choose wisely as you allocate your skill points to unlock the skills that best suit you]
Marius carefully read over the information, making sure to remember it, before swiping it away and calling out, "shop."
He was greeted by the system window, but this time in gold, that suddenly flashed in front of him. It showcased various rows of skills, each one hidden behind question marks and ordered by the level of attainment.
Marius's eyes landed on the level 5 skill which was unlockable — Soul Harvest. He smiled, revealing his teeth, as he clicked on the description.
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[Name: Soul Harvest]
[Passive Skill]
[Cool Down: 60 seconds]
[Description: Harvest the souls of fallen enemies to ascend beyond your limitations, temporarily boosting all your attributes]
[Effect: Requiring the soul of 1 fallen foes to activate. For a short duration of 10 seconds, all your attributes—Strength, agility, dexterity, vitality, and Intelligence—are increased by 50]
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By now, Marius had a wide grin on his face, realizing that it didn't require any mana from him. Despite feeling a bit unsettled about having to take someone's life to activate it, he understood the importance of accepting it.
He was well aware that the world was far from peaceful, having experienced it firsthand. Fortunately, those men underestimated him. Letting him escape in one piece.
'These people aren't real… they're NPCs.' Marius reassured himself mentally, attempting to find some peace for himself. He was willing to kill, or do whatever it took, to return to Earth.
Even if it meant seeing the people of this world as mere NPCs.
Temporarily setting that aside, Marius directed his attention to the shop. He selected the skill he desired and purchased it by pressing the [Buy] option.
He had 4 skill points, which exceeded the 3 points required.
[Confirm] began flashing.
Marius affirmed as he extended his finger and pressed it.