(You have unlocked a new skill tree.)
Alchemy: Improves your skill in creating potions and poisons.
Alchemy Novice
Learn the basics of alchemy, allowing you to create simple potions and poisons. Increases the effectiveness of potions by ten percent (Requires Alchemy skill tree at Level 01)
(You have unlocked a new skill tree.)
Herbalism: Improves your skill in identifying, harvesting, and using various plants for alchemical and medicinal purposes.
Novice Herbalism
Learn basic herbalism techniques to identify and gather common herbs. (Requires Herbalism skill tree at Level 01)
I was expecting to receive a book to study and learn about alchemy and herbalism. Still, it looked like the thieves' guild preferred to keep their teachings vocal to avoid stealing their formulas.
We found a bunch of herbs during the night as we headed west, but Diran only taught me the recipe for a simple poison that makes wounds burn a lot. It didn't have any nasty effects, so it was fine with me. I just had to create a type of salve by mixing two potions together and then applying it to my weapons.
"It is very effective with bows since they pierce deeply in the flesh. Most targets will suffer a lot and choose to run away after five seconds. The downside is the fact that it can only be used once per arrow. You wouldn't lose much of the salve as with a sword."
Diran looked pretty excited while teaching that… even though he was teching something pretty dangerous.
"Eww, it stinks."
Serana was right… as expected of poisonous plants. In any case, while Diran didn't have a book with recipes, I decided to buy some pen and paper and eventually write down the formulas. It would take a while to get used to identifying those planets, and I didn't want to waste it either.
Our journey toward the west was grueling, stretching out over five days. We traveled only under the cloak of night, constantly on the lookout for safe spots where we could rest. Every night, we scouted out clearings in the dense forest to set up temporary shelters, always staying vigilant to avoid detection.
The cold nights were tough. Without the opportunity to build a fire, we had to rely on whatever warmth our clothing and equipment could provide, which wasn't much. The chill seemed to seep into our bones, making sleep a rare comfort. But despite the discomfort and the constant need for vigilance, the journey wasn't without its rewards.
One of the most significant outcomes was the discovery of new skill trees. These additions were a boon, making the hardships of the travel feel more worthwhile. The knowledge I gathered about the dark elves was particularly useful. Their mastery of skills and their deep knowledge left a strong impression on me. It was clear that their expertise in specific areas far surpassed what I had previously imagined.
(You have unlocked a new skill tree.)
Fletching: Improves your skill in crafting and improving arrows and bolts.
Novice Fletching
Learn basic fletching techniques to craft simple arrows and bows. (Requires Fletching skill tree at Level 01)
(You have unlocked a new skill tree.)
Foraging: Improves your skill in finding edible plants, berries, and other useful items in the wild.
Novice Foraging
Learn basic foraging techniques to gather common herbs and plants. (Requires Foraging skill tree at Level 01)
(You have unlocked a new skill tree.)
Cooking: Improves your skill in preparing meals with various ingredients that provide buffs or healing.
Novice Cook
Learn basic principles and techniques of cooking. (Requires Cooking skill tree at Level 01)
At that point, I was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed… I truly could become stronger doing pretty much anything. Maybe it made sense that Leon Maxwell's ancestors received the power of Elysios. It all seemed too fantastic, but it was the only explanation that could explain that.
"We will arrive in a town where we can move without problems tonight. While it is still in the human realm, there are a lot of people who aren't humans there, so the influence of human guards will be weak."
"Seems like the best place to look for criminals like us."
"True, but as I said, their influence will be weak. We can hide our faces, and no one will be able to stop us otherwise."
"It sounds like an enjoyable place to live… and have your money stolen."
Serana was still at the top of my head, saying that kind of thing whenever she could. She was basically operating like my logical brain at this point in time, a logical brain that says things out loud. Regardless, she said that she wanted to recover from her life as a prisoner, but that was taking too long. In any case, I had better things to think of right now.
"Putting that aside, is the human territory that small now?"
"Of course, after losing the war, a good part of their territory was split among the other nations that fought you guys. While they didn't banish humans, more than half of the human territory was split between the beasts, orcs, goblins, and dwarves."
As I thought about the war, it made sense why only certain races—beasts, orcs, goblins, and dwarves—would have taken up arms against humans. After all, these were land adversaries sharing the same terrain and resources. Conflict between them was almost inevitable, given their proximity and competing interests.
The dragons were a different story entirely. They were far too powerful to bother themselves with such a conflict. What could humans possibly offer or threaten them with? Their immense strength and independence made them aloof from the struggles of lesser beings.
The merfolk, too, had little reason to engage. Their domain was the water, a realm humans could barely touch. They could live out their lives beneath the waves, far removed from the battles raging on land.
As for the vampires, they had their own interests to protect. While they thrived in the shadows of human society, they had little to gain from wiping out too many humans. After all, humans were also a vital resource to them, and a war that decimated the human population would only weaken their food supply. That left the fairies and the elves.
"We like to prank others, but battles aren't our forte. Besides, we live wherever the hell we want."
The fairies could be more selfish even if they tried, so I could only shrug. It was better to avoid them altogether and think of a way to make Serana leave instead of just waiting.
"The elves participated, but they preferred to live in their forest, at least the ordinary ones. They joined the war after the others signed an alliance not to attack their forests for one hundred years. I know, I know, it is convenient that the other types of elves didn't participate. Still, you can confirm that yourself eventually."
"I didn't say anything… not yet, anyway."