Morgath sat in the desolate center of the Sahara, his mind calm and focused as the sun hung low on the horizon. Suddenly, without warning, a powerful pull surged through his body—a sensation unlike anything he had ever felt before. His eyes snapped open, immediately alert.
The wish.
The feeling was unmistakable. The New Year had arrived, and with it came the mysterious pull of the wish, just as the system had predicted.
"It's time," Morgath whispered to himself, standing up quickly.
The system's familiar voice echoed in his mind, a cautious tone beneath its usual calm.
[Be careful, Morgath. The wish is a rare opportunity, but it is also very specific. If you wish for too much, you'll get nothing. Focus on one mastery—just the Rank 1 strengthening pill, nothing more.]
Soon he stepped into an area from where he could realize the wish.
"I wish for mastery in concocting the Rank 1 strengthening pill," Morgath said clearly, his voice unwavering.
The moment the words left his mouth, the word around him exploded in a burst of light. Knowledge flooded into his mind—detailed, intricate instructions on how to gather, prepare, and combine specific herbs to create the strengthening pill. He could see every step in his mind's eye as if he had done it a thousand times before. The system had been right—this was not just knowledge, but mastery.
Morgath remained still, absorbing everything, committing each detail to memory. The process was complex, but to him, it now felt second nature, as if he had been brewing pills his entire life.
The wish's energy began to dissipate, fading away as quickly as it had appeared. Morgath stood in the desert once more, the wind blowing softly across the dunes. He clenched his fists, feeling the weight of the new knowledge within him.
It was done.
Elsewhere, far across the world, many others felt the pull of the wish. Some were in remote locations, others in busy cities, but all of them stopped what they were doing the moment the strange sensation coursed through their bodies.
One such person, a middle-aged woman with silver hair and a stern expression, stood in a crowded marketplace in what had once been New York City. She froze, eyes wide as the pull enveloped her. Her heart raced with excitement, knowing exactly what it meant.
But just as quickly as the sensation had come, it vanished.
"No!" she hissed under her breath, slamming her fist against a nearby table. The people around her stared, confused by her sudden outburst.
Someone had claimed the wish.
On the other side of the globe, in a hidden facility deep within the Australian Outback, a high-ranking officer of the Earth Government cursed loudly as the same realization dawned on him. Their agents were requested to secure the wish and not claim it, yet he had felt the wish's pull as well, but it was gone, snatched away by someone else.
"Damn it!" he shouted, slamming his hand onto his desk.
The Earth Government had stationed operatives around the world, each waiting for the moment the wish would manifest. Their plan had been simple—whichever agent was closest would seize it, bringing its power into the government's hands. But now, it seemed, someone else had claimed it.
Immediately, the officer began issuing commands.
"Contact all agents—find out who took the wish."
His subordinates scrambled to obey, contacting operatives across every continent. They knew the wish had been claimed, but by whom?
It wasn't long before one agent failed to respond—a man stationed in the Sahara region.
Back in the Sahara, Morgath was still reveling in the knowledge of his new mastery when a shadow flickered in the corner of his eye. He reacted instinctively, his hand flying to the hilt of his sword just in time to block a strike aimed at his head.
A figure clad in dark robes had ambushed him, their blade clashing against Morgath's with a metallic screech. The force of the blow sent a shockwave through the sand, but Morgath held firm, pushing his attacker back.
Without hesitation, Morgath countered with a swift strike, his sword cutting through the air with deadly precision. His opponent barely managed to block, but the force of Morgath's blow sent them stumbling backward. The attacker's movements were fast, but Morgath was faster.
In a flurry of motion, he closed the gap, his sword flashing in the sunlight. His opponent tried to dodge, but Morgath's blade found its mark, cutting deep into the man's side. Blood splattered across the sand as the man fell to the ground, gasping for breath.
Morgath stepped closer, his sword still raised, ready to finish the job.
"Who sent you?" Morgath demanded, his voice cold.
The man only glared up at him, blood seeping from his wound. Without waiting for a response, Morgath struck again, this time ending the attacker's life. As the man's body slumped to the ground, Morgath sheathed his sword and knelt to search the corpse.
His hands paused when he found an identification badge tucked inside the man's robes. The insignia was unmistakable—it belonged to the Earth Government.
"Of course," Morgath muttered, turning the badge over in his hand.
The government had sent operatives to claim the wish. He realized now that by taking it, he had made himself a target. They would hunt him down, sparing no effort in finding him.
Morgath stood up, scanning the horizon. He needed to stay low, to avoid drawing attention until he had completed his next goal.
"I'll need to hide in Morocco," he thought to himself, already planning his next moves. He wouldn't leave the region until he had brewed every strengthening pill he could possibly need.
Over the next few days, Morgath traveled through the barren landscapes of Morocco, carefully avoiding large settlements. He knew he would be safer in less populated areas, where fewer people could recognize or track him. But his focus was now on gathering the necessary ingredients for the strengthening pills.
The spiritual energy that had flooded the Earth had brought with it more than just stones—new herbs and plants had also begun to grow, and Morgath needed them. His old stash of herbs was back in France, where Kenji was keeping an eye on them for him, but that was too far away. He needed local resources.
As he searched, he noticed that many others were scouring the area as well, most of them looking for spiritual stones. The stones had become a hot commodity, with people trading and fighting over them like currency. Morgath kept to himself, avoiding unnecessary conflicts, though he was attacked several times by opportunistic hunters.
Each time, he emerged unharmed, his strength far beyond that of the average cultivator. Still, he remained cautious—he couldn't afford to draw too much attention to himself. The Earth Government was likely already searching for him, and he didn't want to make their job any easier.
In a small town, Morgath finally found what he had been looking for—a large, sturdy cauldron that could be used for alchemy. It wasn't perfect, but it would do. He purchased it quietly, blending into the crowd, then made his way back into the wilderness, where he set up a temporary camp in a remote area.
Night fell quickly, and Morgath spent the evening meditating, consolidating the knowledge he had gained from the wish. When morning came, he would begin the alchemy process. The strengthening pills would be his key to survival in this new world, and he intended to make as many as he could.
As the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, Morgath took a deep breath and prepared to begin the process. He had the knowledge, the ingredients, and the cauldron. Now, it was time to put his mastery to the test.
Morgath sat cross-legged in a secluded part of the Moroccan wilderness. The sand shifted beneath him, a light breeze brushing across the arid landscape. The small cauldron he had purchased lay before him on a flat rock. It was an old, simple thing, nothing like the finely crafted alchemical tools described in ancient texts, but it would suffice for his needs.
He took a deep breath, steadying his mind, focusing on the task at hand. The wish had gifted him the mastery of concocting Rank 1 strengthening pills, but even with this newfound knowledge, the process required precision. Each ingredient had to be prepared with care, the spiritual energy within them carefully drawn out and blended. Too much or too little of one element could cause the entire mixture to fail.
Morgath reached into the pouch he had tied to his waist and pulled out several bundles of herbs he had gathered over the past few days. He laid them out in front of him: Firegrass, Earthroot, Skyblossom, and several others, each pulsing faintly with the spiritual energy he could now see with clarity. He would need to handle them with precision, extracting just the right amount of essence from each one to produce the pills.
He placed the Firegrass into the cauldron first, gently pressing it against the bottom. He summoned the small spark of heat from his own spiritual energy, careful to control the intensity. The Firegrass glowed a warm red as it began to release its essence, filling the air with a faint, spicy aroma. Next, he added the Earthroot, a thicker and more stubborn plant, which required a bit more force to coax out its energy. Morgath carefully adjusted the flow of heat, making sure the root wouldn't burn or lose its potency.
As the process continued, the energy from the herbs began to swirl together inside the cauldron, forming a vibrant, multicolored mist. Morgath's hands moved swiftly, adding each ingredient at the precise moment needed to maintain balance. He was grateful for the knowledge granted by the wish, feeling his mind effortlessly guiding him through the delicate process.
After several minutes of careful attention, the mixture inside the cauldron began to take shape. The energy condensed, solidifying into a small orb that glowed faintly within the dark cauldron. With a practiced hand, Morgath poured the orb into a cloth and allowed it to cool, forming the first of the Rank 1 strengthening pills.
He took a moment to inspect the pill, turning it over in his hand. It was perfect—exactly as it should be. If he was stronger he could make this pill have more energy, but that's not needed, it would just decrease the amount of them he would need to consume.
For hours, Morgath continued the process, repeating the steps over and over, creating one pill after another. The cauldron hissed and bubbled as he infused each batch of ingredients with spiritual energy, refining the pills with an efficiency that surprised even him. He worked tirelessly, stopping only briefly to wipe the sweat from his brow as the midday sun beat down on him.
The number of pills steadily grew. Morgath kept track of them, organizing the small, shimmering orbs into neat rows on a large cloth spread out beside him. By the time the sun began its descent toward the horizon, the cloth was filled with over forty of the strengthening pills, each glowing faintly in the fading light.
Satisfied with his work, Morgath sat back on his heels, breathing deeply. His body was tired, but his mind buzzed with energy and excitement. He had made more than enough for now.
He looked down at the pills and thought about what was next. Consuming the strengthening pills would bring immediate benefits, enhancing his physical attributes and furthering his progress on the path of cultivation.
Morgath picked up five of the pills, feeling the faint warmth radiating from them. He had gathered enough spiritual energy to make the pills, and now it was time to use them. One by one, he placed the pills into his mouth, swallowing them with ease. As the last one went down, he closed his eyes and focused inward, guiding the spiritual energy within the pills through his body.
A warmth spread through him, starting in his chest and radiating outward to his limbs. His muscles tensed and then relaxed, as if they were being fortified by the energy of the pills. He felt his bones harden, his skin grow tougher, and his reflexes sharpen. His senses heightened, becoming more acute with each passing second.
Morgath opened his eyes, feeling a surge of power coursing through him. He clenched his fists, testing the newfound strength in his body. There was a noticeable difference already—his movements felt more fluid, his muscles responding with greater precision than before.
After consuming the pills, he absorbed enough spiritual stones to reach the pinnacle of rank 1, but he didn't start the breakthrough process yet. Not only had his proficiency in skills dropped relative to his stats, he could still use few more wishes as long as he stayed at rank 1.
[Status]
-[Name]: Morgath
-[Rank]: 1
--[Level]: 25
-[Stats]
--[Strength]: 15
--[Agility]: 15
--[Dexterity]: 15
--[Constitution]: 15
--[Perception]: 15
--[Health]: 10/10
--[Mana]: 10/10
-[Skills]
--[Swordsmanship] {Dual-wielding} -42%
--[Vitalyth] {Tier 1} -100% {Tier 2} -100% {Tier 3} -16%(Spell of healing)
--[Redintegrare] {Tier 1} -100% {Tier 2} -23%(Spell of repair)
--[Custodiant] {Tier 1} -100% {Tier 2} - 100% {Tier 3} -100%(Spell of protection)