Tower Farmer

[Overload69]

Synopsis:

Johan poured years of effort to become a strong Hunter, sacrificing his youth and even university—only to end up working in a Hunter Mart, unawakened.

Until a freak accident awakens his class.

Tower Farmer.

Not a combat role. Not a legend-in-the-making. Just irony.

A class meant for cultivating rare ingredients, accelerating growth, brewing potions, and domesticating magical beasts. A support role overlooked by the powerful—until Johan's harvests and concoctions become impossible to replace.

Now, Mage Towers want to sign him. Clans line up to recruit him. Cults would kill to claim him.

With grit, powerful connections, and a loyal three-headed dog (plus a growing menagerie of fluffy companions), Johan will prove that changing the world doesn't always require a sword—sometimes it starts with a field, a formula, and the right kind of patience.

What to Expect:

• A competent but sympathetic protagonist.
• A grounded look at the Hunter world through the eyes of a support role.
• Schemes, hidden plots, potion making, taming, and a lot of farming.
• A steadily unfolding cast where every connection matters.
• Exploration of how—and why—the new world came to be.

 

[Overload69]

Johan hated the freezer fans.

They rattled and wheezed in the back of the Hunter Mart like dying lungs. It grated on his nerves, a sound that got under his skin and stayed there. Sometimes he thought they were whispering his name. Mostly, he just wished they'd stop.

"Thank you for your purchase." The fake, practiced words left his mouth as he pointed to the poster beside the register, sporting a beautiful black-haired woman. "If you buy two more potions, you can get a poster of the youngest S-ranker i—"

"I don't need it." However, his customer picked up his bagged items and turned toward the door.

"Please come back again!" He bowed politely.

Another afternoon, another thought about quitting the job crossed his mind. But the pay was too good for someone like him. Johan opened the drawer below the register and pulled out the hunter manual. Its spine held together by glue and tape. He read the book again, cover to cover. The contents about rifts, classes, and monsters, imprinted in his head. He had learned martial arts religiously, preparing for the day he'd get his class. Even kept a compact spear on his person.

I want to be a hunter, not do this. He glanced at the poster. Even though he was 25, way past the age of awakening, he still clenched his fists, waiting. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Always waiting.

The bell over the door jangled, and he stowed the book away. The practiced smile returned to his face.

"Welcome to Morgan's Hunter Mar—" However, that smile faltered.

Brandon Haskins walked through the door—a former classmate, current thorn in his ass.

Brandon had the kind of grin that said I peaked in high school and I know it, but I'll make sure you remember it too. He sauntered up to the counter with a can of S.M magik-soda he hadn't paid for and set it down hard enough to make the change tray rattle.

"Look at this," Brandon said, like he'd just spotted a bug under glass. "Classless Johan. Still stuck here. Guess the System does know trash when it sees it."

He stared at the register numbers glowing green in the half-light. He wanted to say something smart, something that would shut Brandon up forever. What came out instead was, "That'll be 3.50."

"Don't I get a free poster of your precious childhood friend if I buy three drinks?" Brandon said, rapping the counter with his finger.

"What do you want, Brandon?" Johan asked, looking the man twice his size in the eye, the red hyena emblazoned on his jacket glowed.

"I still don't like that look in your eyes." Brandon drank from the soda can—still hadn't paid for it.

"Why don't you accept it? You will never become a Hunter. No one expects you to. The teachers, the other friends you had, even your precious childhood friend Yuna—everyone's left you in the dust." Brandon smirked.

Johan's nails dug into his palm, and the smile on his face had already faded.

"What? Wanna try and hit me? Don't you remember how that ended last time?" Brandon crumpled the soda can as flat as a dime and tossed it on the counter.

He trembled with anger, but the only words that came out were, "That'll be 3.50."

Brandon laughed. Didn't pay and walked out, leaving a trail of expensive cologne and smugness in his wake. The bell jangled again, a too-cheerful sound for the way his stomach knotted.

He stood there with the hum of the freezer fans filling his head, his eyes lingering on the poster celebrating the youngest S-Rank Hunter in the country. About the promise he'd made. About how far away all of that seemed now.

Evening came when Johan's phone buzzed—a notification about a delivery. He attached the metallic cylinder he had been fiddling with for the past few minutes to his belt and walked out the door. A grey pick-up truck waited near the curb, its engine roaring.

"You look happy today." The middle-aged driver with grey hair whistled.

"Something good happened." The smile didn't reach Johan's eyes.

"Something good? You finally asked your boss out?"

"Why would I ask out that unreliable woman?" He shook his head. "You should stop having any thoughts about it, too."

"It feels like you're trying to reduce competition for yourself, too bad though. I ain't giving up without a shot." The driver chuckled.

"Yes, yes. Can you shut up now?" Johan spat, reaching into the trunk to get his boxes of potions and survival rations.

However, when he heard no reply from the driver, he peeked from behind with a smile.

"Hey, you're actually shutting up toda—?!" Words stuck in his throat when he didn't find the driver nearby.

The world twisted. That was the only way he could describe it. Not moved, shifted, or changed, but twisted. Like someone had grasped reality at its seams and crumpled it into a physically impossible shape. Just staring at it hurt Johan's eyes.

By the time he could understand, crimson had bled into the sky with long purple gashes filled with liquid shadows.

Over a hundred people filled the empty street, each more confused than the next. From office workers checking their phones, to college students from the nearby cafes, and even school kids on their way to the academies.

"What's going on?"

"What is this?"

"Why did the sky turn red? What's wrong?"

"It's a Rift! A Spontaneous Rift."

"There's no network here!"

"Miss Rui! Miss Rui, where are you?"

"The Hunters! Where are the Hunters?!"

"Shit, shit, shit!"

Panic spread through the crowd. Johan, still at the back of the truck, gulped. His mouth went dry. He had seen this in training videos, but this wasn't a normal spontaneous rift. The rift mirrored the city. The same cold asphalt, a sparse number of cars dotted around. Even the neighboring buildings near the store.

But he didn't find a single Hunter—not the driver, or the ones that patrolled the area, not even the ones that were browsing through the shelves at the store.

A rift that only targets Classless? Cold sweat ran down his back. He had never read about something like that.

However, his analysis ended soon.

The high-pitched roar, almost a screech, sliced through the murmuring panic. Everyone turned to the right, their eyes wide with fear. Something scratched at the high western wall. It crashed into the wall with a dull thud. Roaring in frustration.

Racor. F-Class wolf-type beasts, 4 feet tall, and aggressive as hell. Hiding in the building is best for now. Knowledge from the manual came forward. His eyes swam through the complex roads around him.

"Over here! There's a basement in the mart!" He shouted before the people scattered all over.

The small gathering turned toward the store and rushed to the entrance. Johan wanted to help, but the crowd pushed him out of the path.

They stumbled and pulled without care for those around them. Distant roars and cries of pain bounced off the concrete jungle, causing an even bigger frenzy.

With the scraped palm, he patted the dust off himself. Eyes searching for anyone left behind in that rush from the cover of the truck.

He glanced at the wall. Cracks had appeared. But it held up.

If he hid for only a few minutes and waited in the basement, the Hunters would arrive to save them. But his feet stopped because of what he saw in his peripheral vision. The Racor had blown through the wall.

The growl of a beast followed the cries of a little girl left behind. The five-year-old held the red rabbit plush with trembling hands.

The matted grey fur caked in dust and blood. Its long crimson snout twitched. The little girl, fallen to the ground, trembled as the beast bared its sharp, reddish teeth full of meat and cloth scraps. The beast drooled over the taste of fear. Licking its teeth with the rough, fleshy tongue.

"Mama… hik!" The girl's tears broke out.

The stranded survivors kept running for cover, and the ones who reached safety couldn't find the strength to go out again. But Johan opened the truck's door, jumping inside.

What are you doing? You can't fight that! Brandon's insults echoed in his mind as he grabbed the wheel. You're Classless! Don't forget that! You can't do anything!

"That's right… I am not a Hunter." He slammed his foot on the accelerator. The truck lurched forward. The engine roared.

He hadn't driven anything beyond a compact car. The steering wheel was loose in his hands. The tires screeched. However, maybe through luck or his desperation, the swaying truck found its mark.

The truck slammed into the Racor's side. Metal crumpled against flesh. The beast whimpered. The windshield shattered inward. Glass shards nicked his face. But he kept his foot on the gas. Eyes seeing red. The truck blasted the Racor through a wall and came to an abrupt halt against the counter of a hardware store.

The steering wheel dug into Johan's ribs and cracked them. Blood rushed down his face, covering his left eye. His head swam within pain and shock as he stumbled out of the truck, glad to be alive.

Unfortunately, the Racor lived too. Its bulging eyes, like smouldering pits of fire, locked onto him with burning hatred.

He reached for the metal tube on his belt. The taste of iron brought him back to reality. His hands trembled under the ferocious, raw pressure. With the press of a button, the bottle-sized metal tube extended into a 2-meter spear with a blade on top.

The Racor kicked the truck away like a toy. The front caved in from the impact. Glass shattered. Brown potions painted the floor.

The grey-furred wolf staggered, shaking off the debris from the wall and crumbled metal stuck in the fur. It roared again. Purple blood pooled below his left hind leg; the other stayed off the ground, swollen.

"You damned beast, why are you adding more expenses to the list? What if the government doesn't cover that, huh?" Adrenaline coursed through his veins. He swung the spear with exaggerated motions and loud bravado.

The beast lunged at him with its right foreleg. The sharp claws cut through the steel spear like butter. Johan rolled back. Goosebumps covered his body. The claws swiped a chunk of meat out of his left shoulder.

Before he could stand, the Racor lunged again. Claws reaching for his throat.

How'd things end up like this? He asked himself that question every morning when he looked at his reflection.

He couldn't feel his left leg from the knee down; his left arm had twisted in the wrong direction. The beast came closer. The growls mocked his futile attempts. His torn leg crushed in its sharp, jagged jaws.

If only I had a class. His body trembled against the smashed counter, painted in his blood. Even if he wanted to become a Hunter, he was a hunter mart manager living hand to mouth.

I am sorry, Yuna. I am gonna die first, but I'll take this beast with me! With the last of his strength, Johan grabbed a bent crowbar.

The Racor's sharp fangs closed in, ready to swallow him. He thrust the crowbar into the beast's open maw with his final battle cry.

However, before the teeth could close in on his arm, a gust of wind smacked the Racor away.

Johan flinched; the shockwave knocked his head back. His half-closed eyes saw the Racor's diced body painting the tilted floor in streaks of purple.

"Target destroyed. We need a medic."

Untouched by the toxic blood, he turned his head toward the familiar voice. The voice that he had only heard from the interviews over the last few years.

"Yuna—!" He rasped, choking on blood.

"Proceed with rescue as usual." Eternal Peace Guild's Founder and Guild Master, Yuna Lee, spoke into the mic near her lips.

The young woman stood there with a face as cold as ice. Her onyx-like eyes lingered on him for a moment before she turned away, talking with her team.

"Andre, see to the wounded. The rest of you follow me. We'll sweep the area for any remaining beasts."

His eyes followed Yuna and the team of five behind her. All dressed in black battle uniforms, carrying gleaming weapons and streaks of lightning. He could only look at her back as she rushed to kill the magik beasts, and all he could do was lie flat on the ground after losing to a single F-class beast.

The little girl he once knew had become a fearless warrior who charged into rifts and saved people.

"Brother! Big Brother!"

Hearing the cries of the little girl, Johan felt the weight lifting off his chest. The kid survived.

"I am… glad." With those final words, darkness consumed him.

He didn't know how long he had been unconscious, but when he opened his eyes again, he leaned against a tree stump on a bed of grass.

A blue screen blared in his face like an annoying fly.

[Awakening Ritual Possible. Starting the Sequence… retrieving relevant data…]

[Welcome, Johan Askr. Your trial begins now.]

 

[Overload69]

Johan felt at ease for the first time in a while. The current comfort was more than what his second-hand mattress provided. The hospital must've spent a killing on the mattress, but skipped on the pillow.

His pillow wasn't anything to write home about, but it had never felt as hard as wood, rough wood that scraped against his skin. At this point, resting his head on the mattress would've been better.

Groaning from the neck pain, he tried to yank the pillow from under his head, but his fingers brushed something soft. And it wasn't the mattress.

It was like a high-quality rug that one of his previous employer had for their dog.

His eyes snapped open, wondering what funky hospital he had landed in. However, he didn't see an unfamiliar ceiling, but the canopy of leaves from old, rugged trees.

"What the?" He sat up on a green bed of dewy grass. "Where am I?"

His heart raced. The air reeked of damp rot, as if the mist itself had been fermenting for centuries. A faint starlight shimmered somewhere above, just enough to reveal the ground beneath his feet—twisted roots spread outward like veins, pulsing with decay. Only the rustling leaves in that cold wind made a mutter as a scent of dread stuck in the back of his throat.

Before him stood a massive tree stump, so wide it would take a hundred people linking arms to encircle it. Thick cracks ran along the 3-story high stump, with a putrid scent lingering at the base.

Was this a dream? Johan couldn't help but pinch himself, and the sting felt as real as the translucent panel that hung two feet before his eyes.

[Quest 1.0: Awakening]

Task: Save the Tree

Reward: A Unique Class

Did I want to become a Hunter so badly that I started dreaming about the awakening ritual?

He shut that thought down. This wasn't like the dreams he had. There were two types of Awakening rituals: the first type happened in the real world, and the second type took place in Phantasia, a dreamscape.

People who experienced the second type had a higher chance of receiving a unique class. Only one person could have the particular Unique Class.

The quest window here guaranteed a Unique Class, so why hesitate? Even if it was a dream, he'd know when he woke up.

"Save the tree." That looked like a simple task on the surface, but that was how these trials were.

Jenny Hien received her Paladin class by helping an old lady cross the road. Minashiro Suguru received the Titan class after helping his mother carry groceries from the supermarket.

While Andy Koffman, a US war vet, had to go through a simulated war, fighting against a battalion with a platoon, only to get a common class, Commander. It really made no sense.

What can I get from saving the tree? Druid or a Verdant sage? No, it shouldn't be limited to the forest classes; maybe it will have something to do with nature as a whole?

"Stop… don't count the chickens before they hatch." The fear of the chance slipping by gripped Johan; he didn't know what he'd do if this turned out to be a dream. Emptying his head, he channeled his energy into searching for a method to save the tree.

The wide trunk became the center of his attention, but he also kept his eyes peeled in case some beasts jumped him from the nearby shrubs.

If possible, he wanted to complete the quest immediately and get out of this creepy, chilly forest. However, the conditions limited his methods. Even more so when he had nothing on hand. Even in this silent forest, he couldn't hear a water source nearby and had nothing to carry it, even if he found water.

The black, gooey rot had spread throughout the trunk. Without tools, cutting such big parts from a trunk this big wasn't possible.

Rough grafting it is. Walking alongside the trunk, Johan hoped for any branches.

The first few branches he found had shriveled up, the next one had rotten to the core with dead, vomit green leaves. The more he walked, the more the anxiety grew, but the confidence didn't die down.

If an Awakening ritual appears, it is well within the person's means to complete it. A famous saying between Hunters came to mind, and it wasn't without merit.

Twenty minutes later, he found a healthy branch. Thick as his arm, it had two bright green leaves at the end. The brown bark hadn't a single black spot on it or around its connection with the trunk. The perfect branch seemed just as happy to see him. But taking it right away wasn't ideal.

I need to find a good patch of soil and water. But where? This place is ruined! Even without a timer, Johan felt the urge to move quicker when he noticed the rot spreading in real time.

Even if the soil nearby looked alright, it had a sickly, dark color, and he needed water to replant that branch. With no source, he had to find a substitute, and with luck or grace, it didn't take much time. A gust of wind shook the nearby bushes; the familiar rustling caught his ear.

A three-foot bush grew 20 feet away from the healthy branch, tucked away under a dying oak tree. With fuzzy, serrated leaves, the vibrant, crimson berries weighed on the thorny canes. Ruby berries, the main ingredient used in low-level healing potions. Also used in hydrating solutions because of their high-water concentrate.

Its juice does the same for plants and trees. Johan had tried it once in his boss's lab.

He found a passable patch of soil a few meters away from the giant tree and dug a hole with his hands. Clawing away at the cold and dark soil on the surface, he brought up the warm and healthier soil hidden beneath. After a quick prayer, he snapped the branch off the tree trunk and planted it in the small mound he prepared.

Gardening classes to help my boss maintain her magik herb garden. Memorizing the Hunter Academy textbooks, magik beast encyclopaedias, magik herbs encyclopaedias, and Hunter manuals cover-to-cover to get tuition jobs for extra income. Burning the midnight oil, flipping through the thesis from the Mage Tower. If it wasn't for his relentless drive to become a Hunter, he wouldn't have gathered this much knowledge and wouldn't have passed this trial.

The culmination of 15 years of hard work and dedication had shown results.

"With this, my hunter life is going to take off!" He squeezed the ruby berries with his white shirt, uncaring for the bright marks it left.

As the blood-like juice seeped into the soil and the branch, a golden glow burst from its form. Shielding his eyes, Johan took a few steps back.

The ground around the branch glowed a golden hue, numerous small roots burst forth from the stem and latched onto the existing root underground. In one fell swoop, the smaller roots started absorbing the complex nexus of roots below and, in turn, spread their web of roots.

"That tree stump…" The giant tree stump broke down into specks of golden energy and seeped into the planted branch, brushing past Johan's platinum hair.

A bell went off in Johan's head, followed by a robotic voice.

[Quest 1.0: Awakening, completed.]

[Analysing the completion method…]

[Analysis completed, assigning the appropriate Unique Class for Johan Askr.]

[Suitable Class Found, Compatibility 99%...]

A smile appeared on Johan's lips, his excitement at its peak. A Unique Class was a one-way ticket to A-Class Hunter status at least; many reached the highest rank of S-Class thanks to their unique classes.

[Unique Class, Tower Farmer Granted.]

However, the smile turned into a frown.

"F-Farmer? W-Wait, what?!" Johan's voice cracked, his heart dropped into his stomach.

"No, No, No, No!" Feeling his body pulled out of Phantasia, Johan was on the verge of tears. "Wait, Wait, Wait, Wait!"

"A reroll! Do a Rerolllllllllllll!" His cries weren't answered. All he saw was the branch he had planted swaying in the wind, saying goodbye.

***

Johan's eyes opened wide a second time. This time, he saw an unfamiliar white ceiling with a hint of disinfectant lumped up in his throat. Flat on the hospital bed with a cast around his arm and leg, he kicked the uncomfortable blanket off and jumped upright.

"I want a reroll, damn it!" He screamed loud enough for his throat to go sore.

"What reroll?"

Johan turned to the familiar voice to his left and found his boss, Morgan. Sitting in front of the window, the setting sun painted her white hair in an orange hue.

"Don't shout in a hospital." She adjusted her round glasses.

"Oh… my bad." Johan would've said a lot. No, he wanted to say a lot.

He had wished the trial he had seen was but a dream, but reality blinked bright blue in front of his eyes.

[Status]

Name: Johan Askr

Age: 25

Class: Tower Farmer

Skills: General Knowledge Lv. MAX, Translocation Lv. 1, Accelerate Growth Lv. 1, Seed Sense Lv. 1, Water Channeling Lv. 1, Basic Brewing Lv. 3.

Magik: 20

I am cooked… so cooked. Johan slumped on the creaking bed, pulling at his hair.

All he wanted was a combat class. But a Farmer type class? He had never heard of it. Labour-type classes were rare, and people who could use them well, even rarer. He had that labourer class now; his hopes of learning any combat skills became zero because of the different skill trees.

"Why? Just why?" Johan muttered like a man possessed. For years, he had worked towards his goal. Yet when he reached the starting line, he tripped and faceplanted.

"Hmm, hunched over and mumbling like a maniac. Extreme mood swings and asking for a reroll. I got it!" Morgan's amethyst eyes flashed with brilliance. She pointed at Johan with a smile and declared. "You just lost money at a gambling den and went into debt!"

"I am disappointed in you, Johan." She clicked her tongue, chiding him like an old aunt.

"Shut up…" Johan didn't even want to retort as it was partly true.

He glanced at Morgan, the woman with fair skin and a model-like figure. She could be on the cover of fashion mags around the world. But this beautiful woman was a hopeless human being.

"Why are you even here?" He asked.

"You didn't come to cook dinner, so I figured something was wrong. I checked my phone the next morning and saw a dozen missed calls from the police. So, I called back and got your situation quickly, impressive, no?" She raised her nose, pleased with herself.

"What's impressive is that it took you a whole day to realize something was wrong, even with the police trying to contact you." Johan deadpanned.

"Well, I am bad with tech." She shrugged.

"This goes beyond being bad with tech, though. And don't act proud of it."

"Anyways, I see that you got your class." Morgan leaned in with a curious gaze.

"…Yeah." Johan looked down.

"Hmm, that wasn't what I expected." Morgan tilted her head. "I expected you to jump around the place and cackle."

"What am I in your eyes? A Monkey?"

"Close. Looks like you didn't get the Class you wanted." Morgan leaned back in the chair. "Tsk tsk, the younger generation is so ungrateful."

"We are three years apart, wannabe grandma."

"It's not about age, but mental maturity." Morgan smiled, ignoring Johan's disdainful look. "But this isn't like you."

"Let me sulk at least a little bit. I just got a class I didn't want." Johan fell back into the hospital bed, a sigh escaping his lips.

"The Awakening ritual only gives out a class most suited for a person. Even if you don't want it, the class given to you is what you need." Morgan had explained this to Johan before.

But it won't be easy to accept. Becoming a Hunter has been his life's purpose since the magik beasts destroyed his town. Morgan noticed his moistening eyes.

"I know…" He muttered.

Yuna left him behind long ago, but Johan didn't forget his promise. He had worked harder, pushed himself to the limits, all in hopes of getting a class that would let him become a hunter.

It wasn't about becoming a strong hunter. Johan just wanted to stand next to Yuna. But he had no hope of doing that anymore.

"Man… being sad blows." Johan's nose stung, but he held it in. Tears wouldn't change anything, and sulking wouldn't either. What was he supposed to do now? What could he even do now with his Class?

"See? You are already thinking of the future. That's the Johan I know." Morgan read his mind.

Johan turned his head to avoid the smug smile of his boss. He noticed the Lavender in the vase to his right. It looked out of place in the plain room.

When he focused on the blossoms, soft purple and dusted with silver, the faint fragrance drifted through the room. And, a blue window popped up in his view.

[Skill General Knowledge Activated.]

Name: Beta Lavender

Status: Fresh, picked with care, filled with goodwill.

Change the Water to maintain freshness.

Special note: 80% of the buds have higher than average magik value. It could be used to create scented candles that increase the base healing factor by 1%.

Is this the General knowledge skill? Candles that increase base healing factor? Even scammers have better hooks than this. Johan cursed, thinking the skill had malfunctioned.

"Who brought these?" His boss wasn't exactly the type to bring flowers, if anything she couldn't stand them.

"They were there when I arrived," Morgan said, lips pressed in a hard line.

"Also, this is yours, right? They took it off while healing you." She showed him a thin black chain necklace with a green stone the size of a quarter.

"Hmm?" Johan tilted his head. "Why is it dull? It used to be so shiny."

"That green stone is a magik stone. The disruptive magik frequency of rift must've messed with it, or it could've run out of magik?" Morgan saw him wear that necklace all the time. "Is it important to you?"

"Sort of, it's like my lucky charm," Johan said.

"It's not working very well now, is it?"

"Piss off."

"That's no way of talking to your boss." Morgan reprimanded him, but only in name.

"Patient privilege." Johan shrugged, but realization hit him like lightning.

"B-Boss, about the truck…" He sweated like never before, gulping hard. The truck he oh so mightily crashed into the Racor belonged to the delivery company, not to mention the items in the back.

"Ohoho… now you know who the boss is, huh?" Morgan smirked, crossing one leg over the other.

"Ah… well…"

Seeing him stammer over his words was fun, but she decided to cut him some slack. Even though healed with Magik, he had broken seven bones and lost an entire leg.

"Since it was a Spontaneous Rift case, the government is paying for the damages. The truck and the items in the back, too." Morgan continued. "And the kind and beautiful boss that I am, I won't cut your check."

"Woohoo! Long live the government! Long live the President! I will never bash them in YouTube comments anymore!" Johan didn't hear anything beyond the first 'government is paying for the damages'. He howled like a beast, not caring for the time and place.

While Johan got scolded by the furious nurses in front of the snickering Morgan.

Yuna Lee walked out of the hospital. She pressed her baseball cap down to hide her face and entered a black sedan.

But the sweet scent of lavender she left behind still turned many heads.

 

[Overload69]

Three days had passed since the night Johan got an earful from the head nurse. Today, the doctors gave him the green light to discharge. Thanks to the now advanced medical technology and healing skills, he made a full recovery.

"Good as new~!" He tapped his feet on the ground in a nimble dance, waving his hands out of the hospital gown.

As the media paid attention to this incident, the appearance of a special type of rift that only targeted the classless, plus Johan's heroic actions spreading through the victims' testimonies, the government paid more attention to his treatment.

After changing into a loose graphic t-shirt and black jeans, Johan stopped by the nurse station.

The other nurses nearby looked on in confusion, Nurse Kim chewed Johan out after his loud outburst at night that day. Now, the same nurse waved like she was saying goodbye to her son.

Getting along with people is easy. Johan walked out of the hospital and stretched under the afternoon sun.

"Just find out their interests and play into them; they'll forget all about the bad first impression." Granted, he had to pull out a rarity among tea, but Johan got it as a gift himself. So, it wasn't out of his pocket.

I could've gotten some good money if I flipped it. Well, whatever. Johan nodded to himself and got on the subway.

Without a rush of office workers and school kids, the subway commute went by in peace. Even if rifts opened on the other side of the city, life continued as normal.

Salarymen still went to offices, kids still had school, government still functioned like usual. No matter how much Earth had changed in the past 50 years, humanity adapted as always.

Johan, too, had to go back to his routine, even if he got a class. With a sigh, he unlocked the glass door to the convenience store. With the phone's flash, he went behind the counter and turned the lights on. The sign outside, Morgan's Hunter Mart, lit up in bright blue.

On the 11th Parkview Street near sector A's Chinatown, the store was a standalone building with two floors and one basement. The store on the first, manned by Johan alone as the store manager, the previous part-time worker had left to focus on studies. The second floor had storage and his living area. And the basement was the potion workshop.

Morgan owned several of these stores across the city. However, she didn't know how to manage them.

Johan looked at two knocked-over shelves of emergency rations for rifts. His eyes went to the folded white paper on the counter, covered with a thin layer of dust. He opened the paper to face the neat handwriting in green ink.

A stray cat got in and knocked it over. Fix it, Store Manager. —Morgan.

"Why don't you first tell me how the stray cat got inside a closed building?" The paper crumpled in his shaking hands.

After writing some reasonable words on the same paper with a pen, he stored it in the cash register. Donning his brown apron and mask, Johan started his classical music playlist and fixed the mess of the shelves, then moved on to dusting.

Two hours later, he ran a finger over the counter, not of speck of dust on it. Turning the music off, Johan switched the sign at the door to 'Open'.

It's not that I mind doing this job, but with the class I got, do I have a choice? At least my bank account isn't empty. Since Morgan funded the entire operation and didn't beat him up over being in black or red, he got a steady salary no matter the status of the books. She'd even give him bonuses if the store turned a profit.

"Looks like there aren't many rifts opening today." He yawned, closing the new magik herb encyclopaedia he had read for the nth time.

The rush of Hunters depended on the number of active low-level rifts. Since the target customers for Hunter marts were the low-ranked Hunters.

"Well, aren't I a low-level Hunter now?" Johan shook his head. "I doubt they'd consider me a low-level hunter if I went for registration."

Even with a class, he had no combat skills, basically a decoration.

In the last three days, he had checked every nook and cranny of his skill descriptions. Reading them over and over again under the magnifying glass.

General Knowledge: A skill that helps fill in gaps in the user's knowledge. (*Class-specific skill)

Translocation: Moves the user to the marked location. (*Class-specific skill)

Accelerate Growth: Increases the growth rate of the crops planted by the user. (*Class-specific skill)

Seed Sense: Increased understanding of the types of seeds. (*Class-specific skill)

Water Channeling: The user can form water in his hands by using Magik.

Basic Brewing: Makes brewing tasks easier and has a small chance of increasing quality.

"Even with the four class-specific skills, this is hopeless." Johan sprawled on the counter.

As hopeless as the situation seemed, one skill in particular had caught his attention. He couldn't stop thinking about it during his time in the hospital, but he couldn't use it there.

"Translocation… how does this skill work exactly?" He muttered, curious about its use.

Without further thought, he tried activating it.

A warm energy rose from behind his belly button; it traveled upwards towards his mouth and finally the lump sat on his tongue. That was magik power.

"Translocation," Johan said the skill's name, and the magik gave the word power.

[Location has been selected.]

[Would you like to continue?]

"Yes."

What happened next left him wide-eyed. The soft ticking of the clock behind him halted. The store walls, the very air around him stretched till they became long colourful lines. Dizziness hit his head as the stretched surroundings reformed before him.

In place of shelves were tall, green trees. The grey wall had turned into a rockface. And the tiled floor below became a bed of lush grass.

"Wait… this place is…" Fighting the vertigo, Johan gulped.

"Phantasia? Why am I here again?"

The branch he had planted had sprouted more leaves, all swaying in the gentle wind, greeting him. The dark aura and thick fog that had covered this place before had receded into the distance.

The dead bushes he found before had sprouted healthy leaves, and the blackened bark of the trees now had a brown sheen. Above all, he could see the sun beyond the blanket of leaves above his head. The warm rays fell on his face with the calm wind kissing his face.

It almost felt like a new place. Like, what he had seen during his trial was a dream. However, proof that it was the same place stood before him. The branch he had planted before stood tall. Almost taller than him now.

Why did relocation bring me here? No matter how much he thought over it, this didn't make sense.

Phantasia wasn't a real place; it was a stage created by the system to see which class suited the Hunter. But if he wasn't in Phantasia, why and how did he get there for his class trial?

Or did his class create this place to mirror a test because it was a necessary part of his class?

Well, it is a unique class. So, it could be possible? He only had a few clues to go off on, but if his hunch was correct, the class Tower Farmer wasn't as simple as it looked.

First the classless rift and now this. Johan felt like someone had cursed him, or blessed him? To experience two back-to-back first-time phenomena that could flip the Hunter society on its head.

Just then, a blue window flickered before his face. The system had given him a new quest.

[Quest 1.0: Start a Farm.]

Time limit: 1 hour

Reward: Class-exclusive Skill: Farmer's storage

Farmer's storage: The skill holder can store anything the Tower Farmer grows and collects from his farm. Weight Limit: 100 kgs, will increase with skill level.

Johan's eyes almost popped out of his sockets. A storage skill with a 100 kg limit at level 1?

"A storage bag with that weight goes for about 10 million. But a person with such a skill…" He fell to the ground, his head hung low.

Johan could've had long lines of reputable Hunters begging him to go into rifts with them. They'd bring him cases of cash and expensive wines as tributes, not to mention the commission he'd get as they'd fight over just to book him for a day.

However, the reality hit hard.

"Why is there such a condition?!" He could only store things he had grown on his farm. If only he could collect anything in sight.

"I could've used it to drop meteors on magik beasts and laugh all cool. Why did this class have to take that away from me?!" Drying his tears, Johan stood up.

Now wasn't the time to cry when he didn't even have the skill. Since he had to start a farm, he needed tools. And above all, seeds.

"Translocation!" Johan shouted.

His vision blurred again, and he found himself in the convenience store. He looked at his shoes, now wet with dew from the green grass, his hand full of dirt he had picked to test things.

"It's not a dream or illusion." He smiled, rushing up the stairs near the bathroom.

Gardening tools from the building's terrace, compost, some cardboard, and carrot seeds from the storage in the back. This time, he closed the front door of the store and used Translocation.

Back in the forest, Johan felt a sense of lethargy. It wasn't too strong, but he felt sleepy. Placing the items on the ground, he opened his status and found the reason.

Magik Power: 5

Each use of translocation used 5 magik power. One more and he'd run out. Johan closed the status and slapped his face to chase the sleep away.

He slipped the used, brown gloves on and picked up the dirt-stained shovel. His eyes looked for ground without grass. It didn't take long; the bald ground was only a few meters away.

With a deep breath, Johan dug with his shovel. Surprised by the dark and crumbly soil, he touched the soil and looked at it with awe. This same soil had such a horrible look to it before; it had such an awful texture that Johan almost gave up hope on passing the trial. Now, it had transformed.

Even if he just sowed the seeds at that moment, Johan thought that the carrots would sprout; that's how good the soil had become. But he still mixed the compost in; he didn't want to half ass it and fail. After mixing, he brought his hands forward. Hovering them above a bucket.

"Water channeling." He used the skill; it cost him two magik power.

A stream of clear water sprouted from his palm and gathered in the plastic bucket. In only a minute, it filled half the bucket. Grinning at his fast progress, Johan poured water into a watering can and sprinkled it onto the aerated mixture of soil and compost.

With a gardening trowel three shallow trenches formed, each 1 foot apart and 5 feet long, in the now wet soil. He ripped the seed packet and sprinkled them into the trenches with a steady hand, then covered the seeds with some soil. Finally, he covered it with cardboard.

However, when he looked at the quest window, there was no reaction.

"Did I miss something?" Johan looked at the farm; although small, it should qualify as one.

Unless there is another condition?

What was a farm? It was a place where the farmer grew vegetables, fruits, and other crops. But at what point does a land become a farm?

Does it become a farm when a farmer buys the land? When it is tilled? Or when the farmer sows the seeds? Johan thought over the questions and soon a smile spread across his lips.

He removed the cardboard from the soil and gathered all his focus. Magik power gathered in his mouth, his bare hands on the wet soil.

"Growth Acceleration!" Johan's words carried the magik power to the ground; this skill cost him 2 magik power for a single cast.

Even with blurred vision, he kept himself steady. Soon movement arrived, a tiny green stem broke out of the soil. The tiny life reached for the sunlight and spread its green wings, the leaves. These leaves gathered the sunlight, already packed with magik power from Johan's skill and water. Along with the nutrients from the soil, the tiny white stem grew inches in a matter of seconds and turned into a vibrant green.

It usually took 7-10 days for carrot seeds to germinate, and about three months before one could harvest them. However, Johan pulled on the 10-inch cluster of stems and leaves growing out of the ground.

He held a bright orange carrot as long as his forearm, smothered in dirt. But it answered his question.

Magik Carrot: It has absorbed a lot of Magik and transformed into a magik crop. Consuming will increase the sharpness of one's vision by 10% and boost vitality by 5% for 10 minutes.

Grade: D

A piece of land becomes a farm when it grows a crop that can be sold for profit. Johan looked at the new blue screen flickering before him.

[Quest 1.0: Start a Farm. Completed.]

[Status]

Name: Johan Askr

Age: 25

Class: Tower Farmer

Skills: General Knowledge Lv. MAX, Translocation Lv. 2, Accelerate Growth Lv. 2, Seed Sense Lv. 1, Water Channeling Lv. 2, Basic Brewing Lv. 3, Farmer's Storage Lv. 1.

Magik: 1

When the skill appeared on his status, Johan succumbed to the vertigo. He fell on his back, drenched in sweat. But his smile stretched ear-to-ear. Johan could see a way forward.

Just because he didn't get the class he wanted didn't mean he could sit on his ass his entire life and cry about it.

"I can use this… I can use this class." Johan closed his eyes, feeling the warm sunlight blanketing him.

However, he had no idea that this small farm of his would change the Hunter society forever.

 

[Overload69]

Around midnight, Johan re-entered the space through translocation after having carrot soup made with the carrots he harvested that day. The effect worked well; at least he didn't have to squint to read the ingredients on the back of ramen packs anymore.

He also felt refreshed, like he had stepped out of a warm bath. And, a new wave of energy followed through his body, which would be screaming for the bed about this time.

"Does the sun not set here?" Johan muttered, stretching his stiff arms after a lonesome shift.

This forest looked about the same, aside from the small piece of ground he had dug up before, along with the sack of compost and seed packets. However, what really caught his attention was the fog.

It had receded substantially. Before, he only had about 70-80 meters of circular space. But now it had doubled. And, it revealed a different tree.

With a trunk white as bone, it stood out compared to the other trees. Sunlight passed through its conical auburn leaves that swayed in the gentle wind. However, the fruit this tree bore had Johan slack-jawed.

"I am not dreaming, am I?" Johan immediately used his skill after pinching his arm enough to turn it red.

[Name: Golden Pear

Rank: E

Condition: Fresh.

A fruit made by a special tree that feeds on nature's life force. Used in healing potions and special salves, depending on their age and freshness.

Note: To be used shortly after harvest, or the quality would deteriorate.]

"Fuck… It's actually the golden pear!" Johan clenched his fist, excitement filling his heart.

Golden pears were rarely found in the rifts, but when they were, auctions began. Even the wrinkliest golden pears, ones that had lost most of their vitality, cost as much as a decent car.

The one in front of Johan would have alchemists around the world killing each other; it was in even better condition than the one they used in textbooks. The golden lustre alone made one feel healed, not to mention the sweet, enticing scent lingering around it.

If I sell one, I will be swimming in money. Johan circled the tree and found five of them.

After taking note of the location of the small farm, Johan reached for the pear hanging at his eye level. The fruit felt warm against his palm. Like holding a candle on a cold night.

He carefully snipped the fruit's stem off with scissors and walked back to the farm, his lips turning into a wide smile that bordered on creepy.

"Selling this will be good… but I am not here to make chump change."

With translocation, he went back to the Hunter Mart and entered the potion workshop in the basement.

The room smelled like burnt chemicals and spicy herbs that stung the eyes. However, it all disappeared the moment Johan cut into the pear. With the translucent flesh covered in golden skin, he turned on the burner, heating 100 ml of holy water.

It was time to test his potion brewing skills.

***

The moon drifted away, and the sun peeked over the horizon when Johan exited the workshop, crawling up the stairs with panda eyes.

After drinking a bottle of chilled water from the fridge, he sprawled on the counter. His bloodshot eyes remained blurry, but the smile stretched ear to ear. The reason for that was the potion bottle before his eyes.

The round glass bottle, a cheap item, however, the golden liquid swirling inside was worth more than what normal people would make in their lifetimes. Now, it rested in his palm.

However, like all commodities, the money would come after the sale. The question was, who would buy such an expensive potion from a no-name Hunter Mart worker like him?

No hunter in their right mind would even try this. Scams like these have surfaced multiple times. So, Johan decided on a different way, a way every well-established company uses when launching a new product.

A young woman came to the counter, brushing her loose strand of blonde hair sticking to her glistening forehead. Her striking red eyes matched the crimson baseball jacket.

This is what I have been waiting for. Johan took the basket full of low and mid-level magik recovery potions and kept his work smile, his eyes locked on the woman's familiar face. There's been a rise in rift activity, so they must be pooling up potions for the hunting teams. This is perfect for me.

"Are these all the potions you have?" The woman asked after reading a message on her phone. "If there are some in the back, I'd like those too."

"We don't have any more of the low and mid-level magik recovery potions, but I have a special healing potion if you are interested." Before even waiting for an answer, Johan pulled out the golden potion from the drawer, placing it right next to the low-level potions.

The brown potions looked like gutter water next to the liquid gold. But the woman's eyes widened when she saw the paper strung around the neck of the bottle.

"40% HP and Magik recovery in an instant? Is this a joke?" A frown took over her face. "Are you trying to scam me?"

"Why would I do that?" Johan laughed it off, though the pressure from the woman did make his legs tremble; that's what he expected from a B-rank Hunter.

He might've been in trouble if he were a scammer; however, he had made that potion with the best ingredient, and his skill confirmed its effects.

All he needed to do was push it a little, and his plan would work perfectly.

"I plan to give this potion to Miss Hunter as a trial product." Johan sprinkled the sugar. "You don't have to pay for it, just use it, and you'll know its true value."

"You sound like a shady drug dealer right now." The woman shrank back.

"That's true, now that you say it. How about this? You can have it tested by your guild's alchemist before using. I am just trying to make a name for myself in the market." Johan said with a genial smile.

It feels too good to be true. But as he said, there is no loss for me if I have it tested. And if it turns out to be real, the guild would have a connection with an unknown master alchemist. The woman looked at Johan's smile for a moment and looked away. It's impossible to lie with a face like that.

"If something is wrong with it, you will have to face the consequences." She said, swiping the potion with a blush.

"You know where to find me if something is wrong." Johan, still smiling, handed over the bag full of potions and bowed. "I look forward to meeting with you again, Miss Rosewood."

"Sure…" Surprised by the recognition, Rosewood paid for the potions and left the store.

Confirming that she had entered her car through the glass door. Johan pulled out his phone and searched for the keywords 'Cara Rosewood' on the net.

Articles about the Red Bear guild appeared on his screen; most of the articles talked about the guild's participation in joining the effort to clean up the increasing rifts alongside their parent clan, Agni Clan. It took a while, but he found another article on a less popular portal site.

[Cara Rosewood, last year's valedictorian from the S.K. Hunter Academy, is set to join her first big mission with the Red Bear Guild.]

The Agni clan scouted her. How did she end up in the Red Bear Guild? Are they trying to give her some experience in a less dangerous situation? Johan thought she was still with the Agni Clan.

It would be a lie if Johan wasn't scared. At the end of the day, he was but a non-combatant. But fortune followed the bold.

"I hit the jackpot with this one." He could already see the long lines that would wrap around the block three times.

"Please advertise the product well for me, Hunter Rosewood!"

***

Inside a B-Rank rift on the fifth street of the G.S. housing complex, the Red Bear guild advanced through a narrow path unwinding through a mountain.

Only two men could walk abreast without scraping their metal armour on the sheer rocky walls. The rift had landed them in the middle of a green forest, it had long trees with bitter green leaves and gloomy brown trunks.

They had fought a flock of bulls the size of aurouchs in that cramped space. Now, they had to chase after the runaway boss with the help of their tracker.

With two tanks in the front and mages in the back, Cara found herself in the rear to watch out for possible ambush as the tracker led the way.

How did that minotaur even fit through here? She grumbled at the narrow, uneven walking path, pebbles crushed under her steel-toed boots. However, her eyes stayed peeled for any sudden movement.

"The exit is before us, just hang on a bit more," The team's leader, Adrian, following after the tanks, said.

"Yes, boss."

"You got it."

The hunting party of 10 people answered back; they had barely broken a sweat. They had hunted over a dozen minotaurs by now; that's why they could stay so casual in that situation. However, the situation changed when they exited the narrow valley.

Before them was a wide green plain that stretched into the horizon, meeting the azure sky. To the right was a small pond with a giant rock shaped like a tombstone. Squigally words etched on it without rhyme or order. And beside that tombstone was the minotaur, his heart pierced with a knife made of black stone.

"It killed itself?" The tanks inched closer, as confused as the rest of the team.

"But if it's dead, then why isn't the rift clear message here?" Adrian muttered, his serious brown eyes even sterner.

The whole situation seemed strange. Almost like a setup. And the first to notice it was the mage. The magik in the air behaved strangely and started to concentrate at one point, the minotaur's heart.

"It's a ritual, everyone retreat!" He shouted, clenching the wand in his hand.

"What?" The tanks looked back at the mage, but saw a shadow looming over them.

Before they could even turn around, the minotaur's muscular arm struck them at the waist. The metal armour crumpled and bit into their chest, tearing through the boiled leather underneath.

Seeing his tanks flung away like toy soldiers. Adrian jumped back to avoid a sweep from the monster. The wind from the attack made him grimace. His eyes turned grave at the sight of the beast before them.

Unlike before, the minotaur had grown over 15 feet, almost double in size. Its skin burned red, releasing pure magik from the pulsating muscles. The beady black eyes looked between them as the crooked maw drooled with blood.

"Attackers, get ready!" Adrian commanded as the minotaur got on all four like a savage.

It burst forward like an arrow released from a bow. Straight and true. The attackers hesitated. They didn't have the defence to take that charge head-on. Their only defense, boiled leather armour and metal shoulder guards.

So, they attacked. Metal flashed. Swords bite into flesh. Streaks of purple blood flew.

"What! This beast!"

"It's not stopping!"

Even when swords and spears impaled him, the minotaur rushed forward without a flinch. Dragging the hunters along like ants clung to an elephant.

"I can't pull out my sword. He's contracting his muscles around it!" Adrian groaned, his sword snapping.

Panic set in as the Minotaur's horns turned towards the mages. With its excellent physical resistance, the only thing it feared was magic.

The three mages in the back trembled in the face of that charge. Their legs turning into jelly. However, Cara jumped before them.

"Start your spells, I'll stop it somehow!" She growled, summoning every bit of courage within her.

This isn't gonna be easy. If I mess up… I might die. She took a deep breath and allowed her magik to run.

She had fought a minotaur before, but this one was on a roid rage. Cara didn't have strong attack skills. She could barely kill a C-class monster in one strike. However, she had something else that made up for it.

"[Aegis], activate." A seven-layered barrier sprang in front of her, glowing an emerald green. Each layer thicker than the last stared down the crazed charge.

Other hunters jumped off the minotaur before it clashed with the barriers. The horns brimming with magik tore through the first shield. The second barely lasted. The third showed some resistance. Fourth slowed its pace. The fifth made it falter. Sixth made it stumble. And, the seventh halted the rush.

"Attack it now!" Adrain commanded, plunging his broken sword into the beast's left knee.

"So, it came to this." Cara cursed as the seventh barrier cracked.

The minotaur roared. It blasted the magik gathering in its horn into the barrier. Shattering it like a pile bunker. The sharp horn came closer to Cara. Instead of running away, she embraced it.

The horn that felt like cold, hardened steel pierced through her stomach. But she wasn't pushed back.

"That hurts, you son of a bitch." She growled, holding the struggling minotaur in place with a headlock. "Now!"

"Binding vine!" Ropes of green vines jumped from the grass and tangled around the minotaur's limbs and body.

"Ice lance!" Precipitation in the air gathered and formed a ten-foot ice spear above the beast.

With a swing of the mage's hand, it fell like a guillotine. The spear blasted through the source of the Minotaur's magik, the heart, and slammed it into the ground.

Still enraged, the beast thrashed in pain but couldn't break out of the suppression. Finally, it breathed its last and went limp.

"It's dead right?" Cara asked the mage over her shoulder.

"Yes… The magik has scattered." The mage confirmed, and along with it came the system window.

"Thank god." Cara stumbled back, blood gushing out of her gaping stomach.

"H-Healing… you need healing!" The mages panicked, but Cara just waved it off.

"Just magik recovery potions will be fine for me, my skill will heal me. It might leave a scar, though." It was another Tuesday for her.

The mages looked at the wound and saw the minute tendrils of flesh wriggling about. They had already stopped the bleeding and were working on the regeneration of organs and flesh.

Watching them hold back their hurls, Cara just scratched her head and stumbled away. Just because it was healing didn't mean it didn't hurt. It burned so much that she wanted to cry, but she lay down nearby and decided to drink some magik recovery potions to replenish her skill.

However, unlike the brown potions she had prepared in advance, she opened the golden potion in her dizziness.

Were potions always this sweet? It was like a glass of warm milk after a hot spring. A cloudy blanket enveloped her body, tickling her from head to toe. It felt weird, but also good. Too good.

By the time she fixed her sloppy expression, everyone had their eyes on her.

"W-What?" She blushed fiercely.

"What potion did you drink?" Adrian asked, surprise on his monolith-like face.

"What do you mean?"

Cara became even more confused when they pointed at her stomach. But when she looked down, the potion bottle slipped out of her hand. The injury she expected to take half an hour to heal vanished in an instant. And there was no scar to boot. Only fair, unblemished skin.

It was only when she saw the round potion bottle that she realized what she had done.

I drank an untested potion!!! She jumped to her feet, touching her body for any weird reactions.

"Hey, where did you get that potion?" The mages pressed, their eyes shining brighter than the sun.

"W-Well…" Cara shrank back in the face of those expectant eyes. "From a handsome scammer?"

"Huh?"

Thus, the hunter society came to know of a healing potion that didn't just heal fast, but also tasted super good.
...
if you spot any mistakes or have any advice, pls comment below. Thank you for reading.

 

[Marchewmen]

Now that i thought about it. This fic requires quite a bit of metaknowledge, and meta acceptance from reader, huh?

The whole system thing in this story, classes and shit, whole dungeoning culture... well the dungeoning can be explained as story goes.

But i think, that lore chunks could be integrated, as a pov's in beggining or blurbs at the end of every few chapters.

I would suggest pov of the bully to set up raid culture - like before chapter 1 proper, you get the bully pov how he comes from weak, badly paying dungeon, his complaining and some drops of lore when you solidify your world more, ending at him entering the shop.

Or some imterview, with gsme developer, how the rpg genre became our cs:go instead. Or how equivalent of Kojima did weird game because he didn't include system in his game.

 

[Overload69]

Now that i thought about it. This fic requires quite a bit of metaknowledge, and meta acceptance from reader, huh?

The whole system thing in this story, classes and shit, whole dungeoning culture... well the dungeoning can be explained as story goes.

But i think, that lore chunks could be integrated, as a pov's in beggining or blurbs at the end of every few chapters.

I would suggest pov of the bully to set up raid culture - like before chapter 1 proper, you get the bully pov how he comes from weak, badly paying dungeon, his complaining and some drops of lore when you solidify your world more, ending at him entering the shop.

Or some imterview, with gsme developer, how the rpg genre became our cs:go instead. Or how equivalent of Kojima did weird game because he didn't include system in his game.

Click to shrink...

This is true, for now I am relying on the reader's knowledge about the genre because it is so common and everyone has it, but I plan to expand on them through Hunter's POVs, as you suggested. I did not want to dump these at once and give out chunks of exposition. I know there might be ways to do this without making it exposition, but I am not that good yet. So I can only rely on the reader till I can expand on the world and culture more. Thank you for reading.

 

[Overload69]

Johan ended his long, lonesome shift and closed the mart early. With most Hunters inside the newly popping up rifts, the foot traffic had reduced. So, after a quick nap of three hours, he returned to Phantasia, as he had decided to call the space.

Normally, he'd feel the aftermath of yesterday's all-nighter and the scarce amount of sleep, but with a single vial of a vitality potion, made from the ruby berries, he felt like he had the stamina of ten men.

Well, not in a literal sense, but it chased away all the tiredness out of his body. The effect was so good that he thought of diluting the potion with a vat of magik water and selling it as energy drinks to salarymen and delivery drivers who used the road to the nearby subway.

It blows any health product aimed at the classless out of the water. He smelled the money since the berries were readily available after the fog receded.

However, he had his eyes on another, more profitable market. The food market.

The scant field of carrots he had before had expanded tenfold in five hours. Potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and even green onions. He planted everything he used to grow in his rooftop vegetable garden. And just like the carrots, the vegetables grown with his skills didn't disappoint.

Magik Broccoli

Grade: D Effects: A broccoli infused with dense Magik, enhancing its natural nutrient profile. Consuming it will boost toxin resistance by 8% for 10 minutes.

Magik Potato

Grade: D Effects: A starchy Magik crop packed with earth-aspected energy. Eating it will increase stamina recovery by 7% for 10 minutes.

Magik Green Onions

Grade: D Effects: These sharp, Magik-rich shoots invigorate circulation and focus. Consuming them will increase reaction speed by 8% for 10 minutes.

Magik Cherry Tomatoes

Grade: D Effects: Small but bursting with condensed Magik. Eating them enhances cell recovery, increasing natural healing speed by 5% for 10 minutes.

I did have to drink a magik potion, but the results are worth it. Johan looked at his harvest with dollar signs in his eyes.

A market for magik-infused food already existed, but it heavily leaned towards meat. He used to think it was some overpriced performance the elites liked because they were fancy, just like those fine dining restaurants that served flavoured foam. But when he had the carrot he had grown, Johan became a believer.

That single carrot(uncooked) was the best-tasting thing he had put in his mouth. It made him feel like he had lived off dirt and grass till now. Those rich gourmet snobs would have their clothes blown apart, Food Wars style.

That's why he expanded his farm to grow other vegetables, thinking of the potential profit once the world gets a taste of magik crops alongside the magik meat. Definitely not because he got hooked on the taste, definitely not.

"It's good that the vegetables are doing well." Johan rubbed his cheek on the fresh potatoes as wide as his face; they were more like dirt-covered watermelons. But when he looked a little further from his vegetable garden, his face dropped. "But that thing isn't going so well."

Johan clicked his tongue at the wilted plant that reached his knees. The stem went limp, and the fan-shaped leaves turned a sickly green, coarser than sandpaper.

Sherry leaves, that was the name of this common herb used to make Magik recovery potions. They grew perfectly in the herb garden he managed before, but no matter what he tried, they died in here.

It perplexed Johan. Phantasia had a high affinity with his skills, no, with plants in general. Everything he planted here thrived like never before; even if he didn't use his skills, the vegetables would grow in less than six hours after sowing the seeds. It was a mystical place that buffed up the growth of plants with magik power, at least that's the conclusion he reached.

However, the very first magik herb he planted failed to grow. He sat there in silence. Checking on the seed with his skill.

Name: Sherry Leaves Seed

Rank: E

Effects: A low-quality engineered seed with a trace amount of magik, just perfect to kickstart its growth. The more magik in the surroundings, the higher it absorbs.

Note: The plant is weaker than normal in the sprouting stage.

Johan thought over the information and restarted his attempts.

The first attempt failed. The stem went limp as soon as it broke through the soil.

The second seed didn't even germinate. When he dug open the ground, he found the seed had split into four halves.

The third attempt grew a stem but no leaves.

The seventh grew leaves, but wilted soon after.

The eleventh didn't germinate again.

By the twentieth try, Johan felt like giving up. He lay down on the grass and sighed.

"What is wrong with this plant?" He couldn't help but grumble and went over the information he had in his head for the nth time.

"Sherry leaves are found in low-ranking rifts… so it shouldn't be the magik messing up the growth. Even the Mage Tower's recommended growing guide for Sherry Leaves says to use magik supplements for the soil. I don't have to do that because of my water skill, on top of that, this place already has an abundance of magik…" It was like a thunderbolt hit him. Johan sat up and muttered. "This place has an abundance of magik…"

Effects: A low-quality seed with a trace amount of magik, just perfect to kickstart its growth. The more magik in the surroundings, the more magik it absorbs.

Note: The plant is weaker than normal in the sprouting stage.

The skill window came to his mind. He gulped a magik recovery potion and rushed back to the store to swipe the clay pots from the terrace before making his return.

Shovelling the soil in the emptied pots, he used normal water from the plastic bottle and sowed a single seed in the pot the size of his head.

With a deep breath, he used his skill and accelerated its growth. Within seconds, a bright green stem shot out of the soil, as thick as his finger, with numerous branches spreading on both sides like wings. And within minutes, it had its first leaf.

A leaf so bright green that it seemed unreal. Then the second came, and the third, and the fourth. In five minutes, there were about fifty leaves on the plant, each more vibrant and verdant than the last.

"Everything has a lethal dose… guess that applies to Magik too." Johan almost chuckled when he saw sherry leaves twice the size of what he had ever seen before.

The eight hours of work seemed to pay off in the end. Harvesting the leaves took less than ten minutes, plus the five magik recovery potions blew up his three months' salary. But it didn't hurt as much since he figured out a way to grow better sherry leaves than what he could buy. And better raw materials led to better products in good hands.

As someone who had brewed hundreds of basic magik recovery potions, the result was obvious from the moment he ground the dehydrated leaves in the mortar. Once the 100g powdered sherry leaves mixed into 1 litre of magik water, ten magik recovery potions were produced.

Name: Basic Magik Recovery Potion

Rank: D+

Effects: Upon consumption, restores 20 Magik and increases magik recovery speed by 20% for 20 minutes.

Johan giggled like a madman as he opened the store for the day.

The few customers who came by felt unnerved by his smile and quickly made their purchases before scurrying away.

But the day only got better. Around midday, Cara Rosewood entered the store.

"Hunter Rosewood, it's good to see you." Johan's bubbly tone made her recoil, but she cleared her throat.

"I-It is… um, well…" Her eyes darted around the place before she gathered up her courage to speak. "I used the potion you gave me."

"Oh… did it help you?" Johan returned to Earth, nervous about the result. Although he knew the effects, he didn't think Cara would land in a situation where she'd have to use it.

"It did… Honestly, I am very grateful that I got it. But you know, I just have to ask." Cara looked him in the eye. "Do you like… have a crush on me or something?"

"I beg your fucking pardon?" Johan almost fell.

***

The bustling Phoenix Street of Sector A turned into a light show as the orange hue bathed the tall buildings.

With numerous stalls lining the streets full of hustle and bustle, a single Korean barbecue shop refused customers. It wasn't the owner's wish, nor the lack of people willing to enter. Just that the presence of two suited muscular men over 7 feet stood near the iron door like gargoyles.

Their silent, empty gazes turned everyone away. Adrian passed by them, responding to their courteous bows with a nod.

The inside wasn't any better.

Among the rows of empty tables, a single man occupied a single grill, using the pale blue flame from his hand to cook the thin slices of meat. The cold grill in front of him crying in despair.

He had blonde hair that sparkled under the white light with some red streaks here and there. Comfortable in his faded blue hoodie and sweatpants, he slouched on the table and chewed the sizzling meat with a sesame dipping sauce.

"H-Here's the soju, sir." The waitress placed two glass bottles of alcohol on the table. Her face flushed because of the man before her, but it wasn't fear. "Can I get an autograph? I've been a huge fan of yours since your Blackstreet era!"

"How about a selfie too? You'll have something to remember the moment." He said, a smile hanging on his red lips.

"Thank you so much!" Bowing, the waitress skipped away, giggling.

"I meet fans everywhere I go, can't even eat in peace." He said, his rosy eyes sparkling.

He wasn't a celebrity, but more than that. Lucas White. The Head of the Agni Clan, and one of the seven S Rank Hunters in the country.

"You don't seem to mind it much, Lucas," Adrian said, sitting across the man so clearly admiring his own face on the soju bottle.

"It's a joke, man, learn to laugh a little. No wonder your daughter cries when you hold her." Lucas said.

"She… doesn't cry." Adrian deadpanned.

"See? Gosh, you are making me lose my appetite." Lucas sighed. But soon shook his head and ate another cut of wagyu. "So, how much did you find out about that potion?"

"Cara said she got it as a trial product from a Hunter Mart worker," Adrian added. "I've seen the thing work myself; it is on par if not better than the S-Rank potions made by the Mage Tower, at least when it comes to healing speed. I would've known better if I had tried it, but the effects written on the tag surpass anything available on the market."

"A Hunter Mart worker? Any chance he is a mule?" Lucas' eyes narrowed.

"We've kept an eye on the store. He barely leaves the place, and the customers are usually low-ranking hunter parties or solo mid-level hunters. Nothing suspicious on that end." Adrian pulled out a stack of paper from his bag and slid it across the table. "What I do find suspicious is where he acquired the ingredients for the potion."

"Morgan's Hunter Mart… She is…" Lucas looked at the photo of Morgan and her ID.

"Do you recognize her?" Adrian leaned forward because, as much as he hated to admit it, he barely got information on Morgan.

"My oh my, I would like to know her." Lucas whistled. "She's super pretty. Like, look at that small face and nose, her eyes are like gems! How can one look so good in their ID picture? I look like a damn squid in mine."

Noticing the cold eyes from Adrian, Lucas cleared his throat and flipped through the pages.

"She has no background before applying for citizenship here, huh." However, Lucas threw the stack on the table lazily. "That's nothing new; more than half of the countries have been lost since the cataclysm. Maybe she is one of the people who wanted to make a fresh start. Weren't we the same?"

"That is true. However, I suggest we must proceed with caution. We have no idea how they are making the potion; if it has any relation to illegal activities, we should cut all ties with it." Adrian found Johan's method to reach them highly suspicious, but he had to commend it.

Because it did exactly what he intended. It caught their attention, more importantly, Lucas' attention.

"Once I see him, we'll get all our answers." Lucas' eyes gleamed along with his smile.

"You don't have to go," Adrian said.

"I absolutely have to. It seems fun."

There he goes again. Adrian gave up.

"Also, how is Cara doing at Red Bear?" He asked.

"Miss Rosewood is doing her job wonderfully. She has become an important member of the Rift attack team 1."

"That's good. Let her get some more experience in the low to mid rank rifts; it should help her warm up." Lucas wrapped up the grilled meat in lettuce.

"Please don't make light work of the tasks; if someone overhears, it could cause another incident." Adrian sighed.

"Isn't it practically a vaca? Even you got chubbier since you went there." Lucas laughed, but Adrian didn't.

"Man, your face is gonna kill me one day." Faced with the silent, empty glare, Lucas shifted in his chair till his eyes went to the wrapped meat in his hand. Without a single thought, he offered it to Adrian. "Here, eat it. I am sorry, ok."

It took a full minute of Lucas holding the wrap near Adrian's lips, almost pushing it into his mouth by force, for him to finally eat it.

"So, when will you go see him? Next week?" Adrian still had access to Lucas' schedule.

"Why next week? I am going tomorrow." Lucas ate a wrap he made for himself.

"You have a meeting with the Hunter Association President tomorrow." Sweat rolled down Adrian's forehead.

"Just tell him I have a stomach ache or something?"

"You think he'll buy that?" His stomach twisted now. Every time Lucas acted like this, someone ended up in a hospital.

"What else can he do but buy it?" Lucas smirked, mixing beer and soju in a tall glass. "Ahaha, this is the stuff! More, bring another plate and three more bottles!"

Watching the overtly jolly boss downing one glass after another, Adrian started to feel sorry for Johan. For he didn't know that he had caught the attention of Hunter society's biggest troublemaker, Lucas White, more commonly known as the Fiery Imp.
...
If you spot any mistakes or have any advice, pls comment below.
Thank you for reading.

 

[Marchewmen]

Good job, what you set up has potential.

 

[Marchewmen]

Spoiler

So, various plants should require mc to know of different farming techniques from our world. This would make mc not be subspace recluse.

We don't know how mc even feels about his situation - does he like farming even? Did his parents have a garden, his relatives, friends?

It would be weird for mc to have the knowledge of plants besides the most basic one provided by system for now. Like how the fuck do you grow pinaples? Or would bamboo equivalent not be hard to grow without destroying his farm? Or requiring special habitats, like wasabi (gravel near running mountain stream). Then some weeds have properties useful in medicine. How mc can know this, if he was focused on dungeoneering research and learning his whole life?

And isn't he frustrated, day by day, to be farming instead of dungeon diving, saving lives, as he was preparing himself to do for stated years?

Then how about narcotics, like poppy plants, mushrooms, or plants that only can be more useful after processing, like plant oil crops, or annoying to pick or use. Why would farming system provide mc with any of the required processing for let's say: beer, or vodka.

Then so far you kept it basic, so no reason to elaborate as early, but we as readers need to know, how mc feels about farming, and description of the plants, the more esoteric xianxia like plants become.

Remember that despite what korean manwha and novels would tell you, mc lives in a society. Why can't he leave his job to focus on farming, make him use other adventurers to learn about different habitats for his plants during talks, from what dungeons they were exploring.

So, this is my rambling. I get pissy after reading so much dissapointg Korean media, after reading your xianxia stuff, i get a feeling you can do good stuff, that world feels alive enough to feel good for a reader.

 

[Overload69]

Good job, what you set up has potential.

Click to shrink...

Thank you, always good to know what is working.

 

[Overload69]

Spoiler

So, various plants should require mc to know of different farming techniques from our world. This would make mc not be subspace recluse.

We don't know how mc even feels about his situation - does he like farming even? Did his parents have a garden, his relatives, friends?

It would be weird for mc to have the knowledge of plants besides the most basic one provided by system for now. Like how the fuck do you grow pinaples? Or would bamboo equivalent not be hard to grow without destroying his farm? Or requiring special habitats, like wasabi (gravel near running mountain stream). Then some weeds have properties useful in medicine. How mc can know this, if he was focused on dungeoneering research and learning his whole life?

And isn't he frustrated, day by day, to be farming instead of dungeon diving, saving lives, as he was preparing himself to do for stated years?

Then how about narcotics, like poppy plants, mushrooms, or plants that only can be more useful after processing, like plant oil crops, or annoying to pick or use. Why would farming system provide mc with any of the required processing for let's say: beer, or vodka.

Then so far you kept it basic, so no reason to elaborate as early, but we as readers need to know, how mc feels about farming, and description of the plants, the more esoteric xianxia like plants become.

Remember that despite what korean manwha and novels would tell you, mc lives in a society. Why can't he leave his job to focus on farming, make him use other adventurers to learn about different habitats for his plants during talks, from what dungeons they were exploring.

So, this is my rambling. I get pissy after reading so much dissapointg Korean media, after reading your xianxia stuff, i get a feeling you can do good stuff, that world feels alive enough to feel good for a reader.

Click to shrink...

Yep, a lot of interesting points that I plan to tackle in the future chapters.
As for the Mc's reaction to his current situation, I've kept the reaction and his feelings very subtle instead of overdoing his emotions. There will be a point of confrontation soon, of course, but till then, I am relying on his body language and actions or even conversations to let his thoughts through.

 

[Overload69]

The Cara Rosewood Johan knew of graduated from the S.K. Hunter Academy last year as the valedictorian. The same honours Yuna Lee achieved before she went on to write history. However, things weren't always good for this girl.

She had joined the academy as one of the worst students. It was in her last year that her hard work paid off. She went on to top her class and even got scouted by the Agni Clan before graduating.

The Cara he had seen in the interview was a friendly girl next door who would warm anyone's heart with her cute smile and patient behaviour.

"What did you want to gain from me?" However, the Cara in front of him was full of suspicion.

But he understood her situation; the potion was worth 1.5 million, more on a good day. As someone who drank it, Cara understood its worth more than anyone else. It was an extra life for Hunters who danced with death on every mission. No one would give that away without hoping for something in return.

"I have no backers, and I am not in a good relationship with my clan. I used my money to buy my own house and car. I can't give you anything that might be useful." She said, almost venting.

I feel like I heard something I shouldn't have. Johan grimaced, but he cleared his throat and signalled her to stop.

"I did have something in mind, but it's not money." He assured her.

"Are you after my body after all?" She shivered, stumbling back.

"Put the brakes on, woman!" Johan huffed. "I have no thoughts about that, either."

"So, what is it?" His clear anger seemed to calm Cara; she leaned on the counter, looking at him with her doe-like eyes. "Since that potion was helpful… I am willing to listen."

"I wanted to get the potion checked with the Agni clan's alchemists. I thought they'd come and inquire when they confirm that it is genuine. I didn't expect you to use it yourself and slander me like this." Johan sighed.

"Why didn't you take it to the Alchemist Association? They handle the certification, right?" Cara said, unsure of the whole debacle.

"I would, if I were a member." A headache arose when he thought of it again.

"Are you a criminal or some mad scientist expelled cause of inhumane experiments?" Goosebumps rose on Cara's body. "What did you make me drink? Was it made by draining human vitality? Or was it Magik Beasts?"

"Drop the Hunter gig and join a news outlet." Johan deadpanned.

"The potion is as illegal as you." He didn't have any other way to explain his circumstances. "It's just that I have my reasons." He didn't mention the fact that the association would blow him off, since he didn't have an Alchemist class.

He could see the gears turning in Cara's head before she started nodding to herself. It didn't take long before she looked at him with a big smile, patting his shoulder.

"I understand your situation."

Understand what exactly? Johan's lips pressed into a hard line, but he didn't want to argue over it. And he felt glad he didn't.

"My team's leader said he'd visit soon to ask about the potion," Cara said.

Start with that, then! Johan almost cried remembering the side eyes from the few customers that happened to hear Cara's opening outburst, his reputation seemed to tank by the day.

It was a welcome news nonetheless. Although he expected to see someone from the Agni Clan at least. But beggars couldn't be choosers.

"Oh…" However, her expression changed after she checked something on her phone.

"What happened?" Johan's stomach twisted.

Was it because he thought a raid team leader was too low in position that this happened? He didn't know what he could do to repent.

On the other hand, Cara seemed to have brightened up. "The team leader will visit tomorrow around noon. Is that time ok?" She asked.

"…More than ok, tell him I'll prepare some refreshments too." Johan recovered, showing his service smile.

Cara sent a text and looked back at him with a nonchalant look.

"I will be going now."

"Ok."

"I am really going." She turned around near the door.

"…I heard you the first time."

"Bye."

It's almost like she's disappointed that I didn't ask her for anything. Johan shook his head. Maybe he just overthought it?

Regardless, he reached the first step of his plan. Though he wondered if he should continue the item, he wanted to show the Agni clan member.

An apple appeared in his hand; however, unlike the usual red, this one was icy white, like fresh snow. A trail of white rose from the fruit the size of a shotput, but not because it was hot. A thin layer of frost formed over it in a matter of seconds. Johan had to juggle it between his hands. Even holding it was a chore.

Name: Nefel's Blessing

Rank: D

Details: Created by the Witch Nefel for her children. Consumption by humans is not advised; death is imminent.

He stumbled upon them while looking for more ruby berries and almost fainted.

It's so dangerous I don't even want to hold it, but it's important for the potion needed to hook the Agni Clan. Johan didn't know if he should still make it; after all, he could only meet the team leader from the Red Bear guild.

"Like grandma used to say, do tomorrow's work today, and today's work right now, or something like that." The glint of curiosity shone in Johan's eyes. This would mark his first attempt at the said potion. "Let's give it a spin."

With a new spring in his step, Johan entered the basement again.

Unlike the basic healing potion, Johan had to adopt more caution with this new potion. Although rare, the potion's recipe was readily available thanks to Morgan. Flipping through the pages of the Alchemist Compilation Vol III, Johan landed on the exact one.

Basic Ice resistance potion, Van Fer Van Method.

The process was rather basic, as the name suggested. He first crushed a quarter of the apple into paste and poured it on a black filter paper. With a careful hand, he used a glass spoon to press the paste. The clear juice dripped into the dish below the stand.

Once he had all the juice, he placed the pulp in the dehydrator. Now, he needed water infused with magik. Usually, it cost around 500 for one litre, but he could create it for free with his skill.

He poured a litre of water into the beaker and took a deep breath. Although the recipe asked for 20 ml of juice, he only took 10 ml in the dropper.

For two reasons.

First, the book said the juice would be cloudy, but this turned as clear as liquid glass.

Second, with his experience from the basic recovery potion, he understood that the ingredients he got were too potent because of where they grew.

The healing potion wouldn't have damaged me, but this one might freeze me to death if it explodes. If it fails, I have enough fruit to try a dozen times. With trembling hands, he dropped the apple juice, drop by drop.

The first drop gave no change.

The second gave birth to a snow crystal on the water's surface.

The fourth expanded the crystal.

The seventh broke the crystal, and grey bled into the water.

The ninth drop turned the water cloudy.

The tenth made it shine in an icy hue.

Seeing the sign of success, Johan grabbed the glass spoon and inserted it into the beaker. Frost covered his gloved fingers, and the spoon struggled to move through the crushed ice like liquid.

This one had a golden pattern running down from the stem all the way to the lip. The archaic lines and symbols shimmered in the water. But they truly came to life when he used his skill [Basic Brewing].

The spoon, now empowered with magik, facilitated the bonding between the magik water and apple juice. Turning the cloudy water into an icy blue from the spoon's tip. The stirring became much easier each second as the blue colour soon filled the beaker.

Johan looked at the shimmering liquid before him in awe, almost forgetting to breathe. Liquefied aquamarine, that's what it looked it. And flowed like so as well. Particles of silver dropped to the bottom like gentle rain.

Succeeding on the first try was good. But the completed potion alone filled him with satisfaction. The sound of money jangled in his ears.

Name: Basic Ice Resistance Potion

Rank: D+

Description: A potion made by the careful hands and strong curiosity of a novice potion maker.

Effects:

1] 40% increase in ice resistance for one hour.

2] All damage from the ice element magik is reduced by 30% for one hour

Note: Effects are not stackable.

"Holy hell!" Johan jumped around like a bull possessed. He only stopped out of fear of dropping the potion, after placing it on the table with utmost care, his legs moved faster than any dancer he had seen.

"Too bad that I can't sell this to the Agni clan right now." He pouted; the possible profit made him drool. But he had to wipe it off. "I promise you, Basic ice resistance potion-Chan, you will see the light of day. I won't let you rot away in this dark place."

"The world will see your true worth one day!"

Johan's theatrics continued until midnight before he finally decided to hit the bed.

I hope it doesn't take long to meet my fat shee—people from the Agni clan, I can't wait to see them.

***

Johan had closed the store early and went to the meeting spot on the roof.

Why?

His room was too cramped. The storeroom was no place to meet important guests. There was no employee common room. And the potion workshop? Too messy.

In a last-ditch effort, he threw chairs and a table on the rooftop under the shade of a nearby towering building and called it a day. It wasn't a bad meeting spot, all things considered; they could get their sunlight and enjoy refreshing drinks with the fresh, purified air by the pots of vibrant vegetables and leafy greens he hadn't cared for in a few days, or so Johan had thought.

Along with Cara and the tall, stone-faced man, whom Johan assumed to be her team leader, Adrian, a third guest popped up.

"Sorry for dropping by unannounced." It was none other than Lucas White, adjusting his red Tom Ford leather jacket like he was in a photoshoot. "You don't mind lil ol' me, do you?"

"… It's ok. You can come anytime." What else was Johan supposed to say?

This was an S Rank, a fucking monster. There were only seven of them in the country, and they could go anywhere without a heads up, even the Blue House if they damn wanted.

Johan's stomach twisted. He did want to meet someone from the Agni clan, but Lucas White? The literal top dog wasn't on his bingo card. He wondered why Cara didn't say anything to him. But the thought only lasted for a moment.

Her condition isn't any better than mine. Cara had become as pale as a sheet of paper. Hang in there, Cara. He couldn't help but cheer for her, and for himself.

"Damn, this is good stuff." Lucas smacked his lips after taking a sip of iced tea Johan had prepared. He turned and gave a glass to Adrian. "Try it. This shit is way better than the horsepiss those S.M. bastards sell."

"Please mind your language, sir." Adrian's face turned icy, but when he took a sip of dark red tea, his face softened considerably. "This is calming, I have to agree, but still, language."

Cara drank the glass of tea in one shot and kept spamming thumbs up; the tea had a much stronger effect than he knew of.

"I'm glad you liked it, sir." Johan felt relieved to know that he wasn't the only one who liked the taste of oolong tea mixed with Sherry leaf extract, with the dehydrated pulp from last night, for a subtle sweetness.

"No need for sir, just call me Lucas." Lucas licked his lips and crossed his right leg over the left, magik coursing through his body like blood. "So, shall we get to the real part?"

Seated face-to-face with an S-rank, Johan could feel the heat. Although the temperature should've been on the colder side today, Lucas' magik spread out of him like a red haze. The aura alone made one tremble, but Johan had a mission today.

Since he cast the die, he had to move the piece.

"A tough guy, I like that." Lucas nodded, then leaned forward to place a golden cauldron on the wooden table. There was nothing special about the cauldron itself, but the pale blue flame inside it was a different story.

"I won't beat around the bush with you, bro. I will only ask you one question, and you have to answer it truthfully." Lucas passed a folded piece of parchment that contained said question to Johan. "However, if you lie, it will cost you your life for wasting my time. Fair, isn't it?"

Like hell it is! Johan could only cry and take the piece of paper.

Although Lucas didn't explain it, he understood with the setup alone. The Trial of Agni, that's what Johan had to face.

However, the moment he unfolded the parchment, his pupils dilated.

This guy… he's a madman. Johan looked at the smiling Lucas, chills climbing up his spine.

 

[Tsedle87]

Yeah! Murderous characters for no reason…
Threats of death, slander, insults, being randomly accused of heinous crimes with no basis?
Standard Xianxia protagonist tropes.

This is not a Xianxia world, it's a modern one.
Why are they basically the same?

Still, I fully expect the S rank girl from the beginning to have always had a crush on the MC or something.

 

[Overload69]

Yeah! Murderous characters for no reason…
Threats of death, slander, insults, being randomly accused of heinous crimes with no basis?
Standard Xianxia protagonist tropes.

This is not a Xianxia world, it's a modern one.
Why are they basically the same?

Still, I fully expect the S rank girl from the beginning to have always had a crush on the MC or something.

Click to shrink...

I know Lucas looks pretty unhinged on the surface, but I ask you to look deeper into his dialogue and mannerisms with the context of his appearance in the situation. It's not mindless threats for the sake of it. If you pay attention to every word and action, they make sense, well, at least that was my intention.
Still, thank you for reading.

 

[Gan Sky]

Man I like this fic, A rank or B rank items must be insane if this is what D ranks do.

Can't for more updates!

 

[Overload69]

Man I like this fic, A rank or B rank items must be insane if this is what D ranks do.

Can't for more updates!

Click to shrink...

First reader to talk about that, huhu. You're in for a surprise.

 

[Overload69]

The Trial of Agni. Lucas had shown it off on 'Late Night Show with Falcone' because the Association president had requested it. The trial helped Lucas identify whether the other person told the truth or not.

The episode went viral, and Lucas gained a lot of fame and an equal amount of fear from awakened criminals.

It is a total hoax. Adrian's eyes swept over the flashy setup, but he couldn't deny the intimidation factor it provided, especially the signature blue flame.

However, Lucas could tell if a person lied or not from the shift in their body temperature. He could predict someone's fever in advance with a narrow margin for error, but he never went into detail.

Adrian had talked with Lucas over what question he'd ask Johan last night, but the stubborn man only smirked while drinking. Now that the hour had come, he couldn't help but wonder why Johan looked horrified.

As if responding to his wish, Johan read the question, bewildered and worried.

"Can you provide a steady supply of the healing potion? P.S.: I don't mind if it is illegally made ." He even enacted the wink while showing them the note.

Adrian looked at Lucas, grinning, his stomach ache rising.

"I really don't mind." He said, pleased with himself.

Johan, however, sighed and fed the parchment to the flame. He looked Lucas dead in the eye and gave his answer.

"I can make five of them a week. Also, there is nothing illegal about the production method; it is in line with the Alchemist Associations' rules."

The statement was like a bomb. Adrian's eyes widened; he could scarcely believe his ears.

Five potions of that level a week? Even the Mage Tower only made one a month because of the material costs and labour-intensive process. The claim was as ridiculous as the last conman, but his eyes went to Lucas.

"Cash or card, my friend?" Lucas already had his card in hand, banging it on the table.

That reaction told Adrian everything.

"How many are you buying? They are made to order, but I have some inventory. It still might take a day or two to acquire them." Johan said. Most likely an attempt to calm down Lucas, who had almost leaped over the table, but it only intensified the situation.

For a day or two, there wasn't a Hunter on Earth who wouldn't go red-eyed when hearing about this deal.

"I'll take ten, I'll make half the payment now and half at delivery after two weeks. How about it?" Lucas had never been this accommodating with anyone, aside from the Mage Tower. But even they rarely saw this level of enthusiasm from the man.

Lucas wrote an amount on the paper, and looking over his shoulder, Adrian nodded. The payment was fair, no cutting corners, no haggling. He liked it when Lucas was like this, which was never.

"How about this much?"

Lucas handed the paper to Johan. The latter's eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

"T…This is the full payment?" He tried to cover up the crack, but it was clear as day to them.

"That's only half. I can transfer it to you right now." Lucas looked back at Adrian, but he had already sent a message.

"Already done." Adrian showed the picture of the transaction that went into motion while Lucas handed the quote over. "We've already notified the bank and government authorities, so you won't have to worry about any legal problems with the transfer." He added the last part out of consideration for Johan's shock.

"How did you know my bank details? No… never mind." Johan looked at the notification on his phone. "…Ten million… just like that? Crazy."

It was only him muttering, but Adrian and Lucas heard him loud and clear. Adrian had many questions, but it wasn't his place to ask them, and Lucas wasn't one to bother with such details.

"Don't worry about the chump change, you are in the big leagues now." Lucas gaffed; he probably found Johan's reactions a breath of fresh air.

"Man… I only came out on a whim and to thank you for the potion you gave to Cara, but it seems like I've hit the jackpot."

Adrian thought so too. Since Lucas acted this fast, no doubt remained in his head that Johan was the real deal. Most importantly, they were the ones to make the first deal with him; that's all he could infer from the young man's reaction to money.

"Looking forward to a pleasant business with you, partner." Lucas extended his hand over the table.

"…Me too." Johan took the hand, sealing the deal. But before they could leave, this mysterious alchemist wanted to show them another potion.

"What do you think about this one?" He handed Lucas an aquamarine potion with a giant ice crystal inside. An Ice resistance potion.

The effects on the tag had Adrian worried if he should get his eyes checked, but the healing potion deal wasn't ordinary either.

"Are these effects true?" Lucas' tone dropped. A level of seriousness he only showed inside rifts.

"You can have it appraised if you don't believe me," Johan said, almost too innocently, but there was a calculated calm behind his clear eyes.

Lucas sighed, but that soon turned into a cackle. A cackle that sent shivers down Adrian and Cara's spines.

"Dude, you wanna get kidnapped or some?" He said as Johan retreated. "'Cause I am super tempted right now."

"I'd rather not," Johan said, rightfully terrified.

"Don't worry, man, my basement is super comfortable, it's my gaming space, you see. I'll get you a five-star chef and the works. What do you say?"

"Please don't take the joke too far, sir." Adrian stepped in before Johan got the wrong idea. But Lucas only tilted his head.

"What joke?"

Before he could scare Johan into hiding, Adrian pulled Lucas out of the Mart and stowed him in the car outside. He bowed to Johan and handed him his card.

"Our Clan Master tends to get carried away often; he won't kidnap you," Adrian said, but Johan only pointed at the car.

"Are you sure?" Lucas looked at him, face pressed against the window, like a lion stalking a grazing gazelle.

"I'll try to convince him." Adrian felt a headache rising.

"Please try hard." Johan ran back into the store like a mouse.

Adrian sat in the passenger seat, and the driver stepped on the accelerator.

"You spooked him too much." He said.

"He's just that desirable." Lucas shrugged.

Adrian couldn't refute. Johan's value had risen too much in their books, and others would soon come to know of that value too. In a way, Lucas wanted to protect the golden goose before someone sliced it open.

"Do you really think he is unprotected?" Adrian expected Johan to have strong backing that would protect him. Although on paper, he looked like a small fry. A high school graduate who worked in a Hunter Mart, a run-of-the-mill guy with nothing special.

"You've put together the report on him; your guess is as good as mine." The ice resistance potion in Lucas' hand stole his attention, his right hand touching his left shoulder in a trance.

"I didn't expect him to have a potion like this ready," Adrian admitted. Even he couldn't hide his surprise back then and considered Lucas' proposal to kidnap Johan. Though he wouldn't say that out loud.

"I planned to ask him for something similar after checking the delivery of the healing potions, but to think he had one in advance. And here I thought I had the drop on him." Lucas chuckled, but the amusement soon wore off. "After the effects of this potion are confirmed, we have to rethink this partnership."

Adrian nodded. Since his debut seven years ago, Lucas had cleared over three hundred rifts while leading the Agni Clan, and he had only failed once.

Mahapadma, The Eighth Hell.

"A revenge match is in order." Lucas grinned, grasping his shoulder, rubbing the injury carved into him by the SS-Rank rift.

If this potion helps Lucas clear that rift. Johan will become more than a business partner. Adrian touched the raised scar, akin to flower petals made of sandpaper, running along his bicep. He'd become blood.

And it was the Agni Clan's creed to protect their own, even if it meant death.

***

After Adrian and Lucas left, Cara also said goodbye and took off.

Now, left alone in the convenience store, Johan stared at his banking app in a daze, "Hehehehehe!" the maniac-like laughter echoing in the store.

Although he felt alarmed by Lucas's suspicious actions and words, the money made him forget it all. The money he'd never scrape together, even if he worked several lifetimes, now sat in his bank. And this was half.

"How much will I get after they order the Ice Resistance potions?" Johan danced on the counter, uncaring of the people who saw him through the glass door. But he had to stop for one reason only.

"I better get to work and make the potions before the deadline." He rushed to the basement, fearing what Lucas might do if he failed.

But the bigger issue at hand was the number he mentioned. Although he overshot compared to his biggest competitor, Mage Tower, he had to do that much since Lucas White showed up.

Johan had to make himself worth investing in as a man with no background or backing. If he had Lucas' protection, the biggest troublemaker in the Hunter industry, no one would dare pick on him.

"One golden pear yields four potions; the tree grows a fruit every 24 hours. And the number of golden pears I have at hand is…" Johan counted the fruits on the tree, a slack smile on his lips. "Thirty. 150 potions… 200 million outright and then 8 million a day." Money had become his bonus, definitely not his main motivation.

His cheeks hurt from smiling so much. But he didn't want to flood the market like that. The news had covered Mage Tower's potion capacity a dozen times, which was why he settled on five a week. His plan wasn't to just supply the potions to the Agni clan alone; he had another idea.

"High-quality potions help Hunters clear dangerous rifts; the more rifts cleared, the safer it is for me. Plus, I get to make sweet profit, hehehe!" Johan's hands were itching. "It is only a matter of time before I take over the world with my potions!" He coughed, ending his embarrassing display.

That confidence came from the sapling he just watered. Its pure white stalk swayed in the gentle breeze along with the verdant leaves. After seven tries, he found success with the Golden Pear tree's seed.

"Grow big, my money tree. Make Papa richer." Johan hugged the pot, a malicious smile on his face.

That same night, Lucas placed an order for thirty Ice Resistance potions, each valued at 2 million, and the total of sixty million paid in full.

Johan's laughter echoed in the neighbourhood, but he got a sore throat from laughing too much the next day. But his plotting didn't stop.

Yes, the healing potions were enough for the big clans. But a majority of the Hunter population consisted of the mid to low Hunters that barely scraped by diving into the rifts every week. They didn't have the big bucks, but they made up for the 70% sales in the potion market.

No way Johan would leave such a large herd of shee—potential customers unattended.

After finishing Lucas' order in ten hours, he began experimenting with a single bottle of D-rank healing potion. Simply put, he watered it down.

Why? Because his ingredients were too high-quality to make low-level potions. If he used too little fruit, the brewing skill won't trigger. That's why he took a completed potion and watered it down by 100ml at a time, noting the change in properties.

Through Furber's method, from Advanced Alchemy Vol. 1, he ended up with two lower-quality versions of the Basic healing potion that he could use.

The first one was for the mid-level hunter from C-Rank and B-Rank. Costing only 80,000 a pop, fifty times his salary. But these Hunters had a lot of leeway to spend on potions and gear.

Name: Watered-down Basic Healing potion.

Rank: E

Effects: 20% HP recovered over 10 minutes, best used for deep lacerations and stabs. It will leave scars.

Note: This potion cannot regrow limbs or replenish lost blood. The effect is not stackable.

The second one was for the low-level hunters from F-Rank to D-Rank, costing only 10,000 for one. Johan had priced this one lower than the ones sold by Mage Tower, so the penny pinchers wouldn't want to miss out on the sweet deal.

Name: Super Watered-down Basic Healing Potion

Rank: F

Effects: 10% of total HP recovered over 10 minutes, best used for minor injuries and shallow cuts. It will leave scars.

Note: This potion cannot help with severe injuries. The effect is not stackable.

Now, someone might question why he went through the trouble of doing this instead of making it like any other alchemist.

There were two reasons.

First, he had to find a supplier for the ingredients needed for said potions, who would then take a cut for their services. Reducing his profits.

And second, it was the look. Yes, the potion's color.

If two potions sat on the shelf, one a murky brown and the other a glimmering gold. Both are priced the same, but the latter was 20% more effective and didn't taste like muddy water. Which one would the Hunters pick?

"Can I get three of these, please?" Miss Kim, a regular of the store and a D-Rank hunter, confirmed his guess.

"Absolutely. Here you go." Johan's radiant smile matched the potion.

"Did you get a new supplier? The effects are stated very clearly." Miss Kim asked, paying with her card.

"Yes, we just got a chance to collaborate with a hidden genius alchemist who made potions easier on the stomach. If the effect is even 1% below the stated or it tastes bad, you can get a cashback." Johan grinned; of course, that was sophistry, but he knew his product.

"That's some confidence. I guess we'll see." Miss Kim, in her full leather gear and warbow, stepped out of the shop full of smiles.

Johan only had a few customers that day, but his aggressive sales pitch didn't stop. The second day went by in peace, and so did the third. He saw an increase in customers by the fourth day, but nothing too crazy.

It wasn't until the fifth day that Johan realized his mistake. A long line, reaching the end of the block, awaited him when he opened the Mart's door to flip the sign.

The dozen or so hunters locked onto him with their predatory eyes, breathing heavy like some starved beasts.

What the hell is this?! Goosebumps covered Johan as he pinched himself, wondering if he was still in a dream.

 

[Gan Sky]

Oh yeah it's all comin together, won't be long until he gets recognized nationwide

Thanks for the chapter!

 

[Overload69]

Oh yeah it's all comin together, won't be long until he gets recognized nationwide

Thanks for the chapter!

Click to shrink...

That's gonna be fun to write, but it won't be fun for Johan.

 

[Grosstoad]

He also should remember where he is working from.

Morgan would get a cut of his sales (or 'nett profit', depending on how he explains it) from the consigned potions sold in her shop.

Also, I suspect the alchemical tools and reference books are not entirely paid from Johan's own pockets, right?

EDIT: Additional thoughts, should give explanation why his mindset switched to profits.

As a human, having many goals or changing his goal is not impossible, but being a literary character, his established goal in the first chapter was all about taking a stand with lavender childhood friend.

Why aim at Agni Clan and not her Clan? Because Cara is broke and got bad blood with her Guild that she buys potions on a minimart and not on guild shop?

Clearly, there is some issues. Lavender girl acting cold, but visiting him anonymously. The school bully taking time from his own adult life to belittle MC and steal soda?

Shucks, the story is very Korean light novel / web cartoon coded at the moment.

 

[Overload69]

He also should remember where he is working from.

Morgan would get a cut of his sales (or 'nett profit', depending on how he explains it) from the consigned potions sold in her shop.

Also, I suspect the alchemical tools and reference books are not entirely paid from Johan's own pockets, right?

Click to shrink...

Nice point noticed, it will be talked about in the next chapter.

 

[Overload69]

He also should remember where he is working from.

Morgan would get a cut of his sales (or 'nett profit', depending on how he explains it) from the consigned potions sold in her shop.

Also, I suspect the alchemical tools and reference books are not entirely paid from Johan's own pockets, right?

EDIT: Additional thoughts, should give explanation why his mindset switched to profits.

As a human, having many goals or changing his goal is not impossible, but being a literary character, his established goal in the first chapter was all about taking a stand with lavender childhood friend.

Why aim at Agni Clan and not her Clan? Because Cara is broke and got bad blood with her Guild that she buys potions on a minimart and not on guild shop?

Clearly, there is some issues. Lavender girl acting cold, but visiting him anonymously. The school bully taking time from his own adult life to belittle MC and steal soda?

Shucks, the story is very Korean light novel / web cartoon coded at the moment.

Click to shrink...

Your additional points are well made, things will be explained on them in the coming chapters, I am sure they won't disappoint you when the explanation comes to pass.

 

[Peacemaren]

TFTC! I think you have a solid start, with a good premise, so I'm looking forward to what you have coming next. If I had to make a note on the story so far, I'd say that it reads pretty much just like a manhwa, which is both good and bad, in some particular ways.

On the good side of things, the characters so far are distinct and unique, and I want to learn more about them. It'll also be interesting to explore the logistical side of fighting off monsters, while dealing with the tensions of what it means to be a support character while others fight for you and all you can do is hope the help you gave them was enough. I also think your descriptions about what is going on in a scene physically are great; it's easy to visualize what is going on, while still leaving space for the reader's imagination to flesh out the scene. I really like some of the subtle indications you've been putting in about character relationships, like the lavender from Yuna and the MC's boss' mysterious past; I want to read more about that situation already. And lastly (and this is more a personal thing, but whatever), I always particularly enjoy stories with supporter-MCs. I feel like there's a lot to explore, and a lot of different unique ways a character can support their surroundings, so it's nice to see different iterations of that idea.

On the bad side of things, the story has escalated very quickly, where the MC has gone from a relative nobody to negotiating with the most powerful people pretty much immediately. Their potions are already apparently better than anything else, so there won't be any competition on that front. Therefore, there won't be any conflict about the MC's capabilities versus anyone else. The only conflict will be who gets to use the MC's skills to their benefit. It comes across too much like a standard power fantasy if every interaction is a different group of people marveling at the MC's abilities, presenting their problem to him, the MC solving the problem without much issue, and repeat.

And on a side note, I know it was mentioned previously by others, but the story does require readers to have some meta-knowledge on stories with similar settings like Solo Leveling or Spirit Farmer, and mentally apply that same setting and style of character interaction to this story. It's fine if that's what you're going for, but it's just something to keep in mind; it would be good for the reader to see some of the world-building for your story even if it takes folding some exposition naturally into the story, so they get to immerse themselves in your story and the mechanics behind it all. After all, if they don't know what's going on, they'll just be lost without understanding the plot or getting why the dialogue is sometimes a little hammy.

Anyway, sorry for the short novel of a review, but I enjoyed reading your story and writing some of my thoughts down. Again, thanks for the chapter, and looking forward to what you have coming next.

 

[Overload69]

TFTC! I think you have a solid start, with a good premise, so I'm looking forward to what you have coming next. If I had to make a note on the story so far, I'd say that it reads pretty much just like a manhwa, which is both good and bad, in some particular ways.

On the good side of things, the characters so far are distinct and unique, and I want to learn more about them. It'll also be interesting to explore the logistical side of fighting off monsters, while dealing with the tensions of what it means to be a support character while others fight for you and all you can do is hope the help you gave them was enough. I also think your descriptions about what is going on in a scene physically are great; it's easy to visualize what is going on, while still leaving space for the reader's imagination to flesh out the scene. I really like some of the subtle indications you've been putting in about character relationships, like the lavender from Yuna and the MC's boss' mysterious past; I want to read more about that situation already. And lastly (and this is more a personal thing, but whatever), I always particularly enjoy stories with supporter-MCs. I feel like there's a lot to explore, and a lot of different unique ways a character can support their surroundings, so it's nice to see different iterations of that idea.

On the bad side of things, the story has escalated very quickly, where the MC has gone from a relative nobody to negotiating with the most powerful people pretty much immediately. Their potions are already apparently better than anything else, so there won't be any competition on that front. Therefore, there won't be any conflict about the MC's capabilities versus anyone else. The only conflict will be who gets to use the MC's skills to their benefit. It comes across too much like a standard power fantasy if every interaction is a different group of people marveling at the MC's abilities, presenting their problem to him, the MC solving the problem without much issue, and repeat.

And on a side note, I know it was mentioned previously by others, but the story does require readers to have some meta-knowledge on stories with similar settings like Solo Leveling or Spirit Farmer, and mentally apply that same setting and style of character interaction to this story. It's fine if that's what you're going for, but it's just something to keep in mind; it would be good for the reader to see some of the world-building for your story even if it takes folding some exposition naturally into the story, so they get to immerse themselves in your story and the mechanics behind it all. After all, if they don't know what's going on, they'll just be lost without understanding the plot or getting why the dialogue is sometimes a little hammy.

Anyway, sorry for the short novel of a review, but I enjoyed reading your story and writing some of my thoughts down. Again, thanks for the chapter, and looking forward to what you have coming next.

Click to shrink...

Thanks for the review, I really appreciate it that you enjoyed the work. I'll consider your points and work on them. I understand the escalation was sudden, since he met up with an S-Rank that soon, it was mostly cause of Lucas's character and coincidence playing a part, since Johan had no plan of reaching the person. I just rolled with it as this was entirely in character. I will also try and not to make the progression repetitive, that would be no fun after all.
On the other part, i intentionally leaned into the reader's meta knowledge for this one. I thought it would be better than going full tilt on exposition. I will try to find a good balance for explaining without bogging the story down too much.
Once again, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the chapters that are to come.

 

[Overload69]

Hunter Net. A leading forum site that contained everything Hunter-related. From Monster catalogue to secret spots for quality items, even rifts guides and hunting spots, the anonymous on this forum traded information every hour of the day.

Johan used this site frequently to access his study materials and kept up with the gossip; however, Phantasia was all he thought about for the past week. That was the reason he missed the currently trending post about a Hunter Mart on 11th Parkview Street in sector A, selling Golden healing potions.

Yes, it was the Morgan Hunter Mart where he worked as a manager. The one who made the post? Miss Kim, his first customer, of course. It talked in detail about the new type of potion that had incredible healing speed, affordable, and had a fruity taste. 70% of the ten-thousand-word post described the taste alone.

The post surfaced the day after her purchase and slowly gained traction. Some Hunters, likely the ones who made purchases after her or thanks to her post, concurred with her opinion or made their own long posts delving deeper into the potion's taste.

It had gotten so bad that half of the forum's potion page consisted of posts that thought the potion tasted like apples, while the other leaned towards the pear. Both called the other wrong, pitchfork in hand. But every post mentioned the location of the store without fail, calling the potions a must-have for rifts alongside the S.M. emergency meal pack and Hunter Association's Survival kit.

"I am happy for the free adverts, but please do it in moderation." Johan, now collapsed on the counter of the closed Mart, had almost withered away.

The midday had arrived, but he had to close the store because all the potion stock vanished faster than water in a desert; no, it was worse. The look on those hunters' faces was akin to druggies who had heard of a new, stronger drug, all rushing to get their hit. Johan understood that the Hunters always complained about potions being too unappetizing, not to mention the stomach aches that followed consumption.

It wasn't that the alchemists did it on purpose; the problem stemmed from the potion materials' poor shelf stability. Some materials, like the Golden Pear, were rarely found shortly after they had dropped from the tree.

To these tortured souls, Johan's potions, made from materials fresh off the branch, had become an oasis. Not to mention they were easy on their pockets with better performance, they would be stupid not to buy.

However, knots formed in Johan's stomach when he saw the new posts flooding Hunter Net. A popular Magik food blogger had even released a thirty-minute-long video titled, Apple or Pear? What is the truth?

He had no strength to look at his phone anymore. Johan stumbled to the cash register; the apple he was about to have for lunch just killed his appetite. Operating the digital screen, his eyes calculated the sales for the day.

He only sold two items that day.

Watered Down Basic Potion x 30

Super Watered Down Basic Potion x 200

"Hehehehehe~!" Johan's face twisted into an inhumane smile. He could've made so much more if he hadn't run out of stock. Not to mention the stares of the Hunters that didn't get potions, which were half of them.

"From tomorrow, I have to limit purchases to 3 potions per person." Johan typed his plan on the phone's notepad, sipping on his special tea to regain focus and some stamina. "1 basic healing potion can be diluted to 10 watered-down potions, and 100 super watered-down potions each. I can also add basic Magik recovery potions; there were a lot of mages in the line, too. I don't think watering down will work on ice potions, and there isn't much of a market for that… ice type rifts are rare, after all."

His mutterings and the keyboard's sound echoed in the closed mart till evening when he completed his great plan.

Materials? He could grow as much as he wanted. Potion making? All he did was make basic potions. Customers? He had more than he could account for. Competition? None in sight.

"With this plan, I will become the Potion Mogul!" Johan proclaimed, much to the disappointment of the white cat passing by the mart's door.

With a new fire in his eyes, he dove into the basement and started brewing potions, cackling through the night. That night, he created forty Watered Down Basic Healing Potions and four hundred Super Watered Down Basic Healing Potions. Confirming his daily inventory.

In addition to that were one hundred Basic Magik Recovery Potions.

Name: Basic Magik Recovery Potion

Rank: D+

Effects: Upon consumption, restores 20 Magik and increases magik recovery speed by 20% for 20 minutes.

They outperformed the competition by a solid 20% while costing eleven hundred a piece, a hundred dollars cheaper.

The next day, Johan placed a digital sign at the door, which displayed the new rule. Three potions per customer. He did hear some disgruntled murmurs from the hunters who had lined up from 4 A.M.

Suck it, scalpers, did you think I wasn't watching you, hmm~? Johan only found out about them from a trending post that very morning. They sold his potions for twice to three times the price, and his blood boiled with jea—righteous anger. Yep, righteous anger.

Needless to say, the new addition, Magik recovering potions, sold out fast. All the potions vanished in two hours since the mart's opening.

Johan looked at the cash with glee; he made a lot and couldn't help but look forward to the next day.

That was but the start of his first ordeal.

***

A week later, Cara arrived at the store to pick up Agni Clan's order. Johan greeted her near the back door. Handing over three metal suitcases, bundled up in a blanket. His nose was stuffy, and his chest burned.

Cara opened them, took a glance at the ten potion bottles lined up in the foam for extra protection. She nodded like a drug cartel boss and gave him a satisfied smirk by taking off her shades in style. However, the smirk soon twitched.

"You've seen better days." She said, probably noticing the dark circles below his eyes.

"Believe me, my days can't get any better." Johan suppressed his sneeze, still hearing the jangle of the cash register.

"Did you not catch any sleep?" Cara's eyes narrowed.

Sleep? Johan hadn't slept in for two days. Between making potions and bottling over a hundred potions a day, he had to keep his eye on the plants in Phantasia. Brewing a litre of potion took about an hour, then diluting it took another hour, even if he closed the Mart as early as afternoon, by the time he did his tasks, he could only get a short nap of an hour or two after getting some delivery food. Then he had to open the mart to the horde of hunters that needed but half a reason to break in.

"Sleep… hah, sleep is for the weak." He snickered.

"Say that without swaying, please." Cara rolled her eyes. She loaded the suitcases in her car before giving him a look over. "If you are having trouble manning the shop and making potions, why not look for a part-time timer?"

"….You," Johan's red eyes widened. "Are you a genius?"

"No, you are just sleep-deprived." Cara hopped into her red 718 Spyder with a shrug and gave him a wave. "See ya later, panda. Don't die on me, or my Team Leader wouldn't leave me alone."

Waving back in a daze, Johan stumbled back into the mart, bumping into juice boxes and sacks.

Why didn't he think of hiring a part-timer to handle the sales?

Well, if he really had to list his reasons, it would go past ten thousand words. But it boiled down to a few details, namely, trust and authority.

His potions had become a hot topic among the Hunters of the capital city. People drove over 3 hours just to get their hands on three potions, standing in line for hours. Where could he find a reliable worker to trust these potions with?

Second was much simpler; Morgan did the hiring for this mart. Even as a manager of the Mart, Johan had no say in the process, more like he removed himself from the task because it seemed troubleso—because Morgan did it better. She had a real eye for talent.

So, when he said that his first ordeal was the red-eyed hunters breathing down the glass door like hyenas that spotted a cheetah after his successful hunt, he lied. The actual first ordeal was convincing Morgan to hire a part-timer to handle the counter.

With a deep breath, he dialled her number on his phone. Morgan, being Morgan, took a few calls and messages to pick up the phone. It was probably on silent while she watched her cartoon reruns.

"Hey, Boss, have you had dinner?"

"No… I just woke up from a nap." The haggard voice replied, stifling a yawn.

Must be nice, he thought, shaking his head. Johan planned to use the technique every corporate employee had used to get what they wanted, the special technique, Buttering the Boss.

"That's perfe—I mean unfortunate, I happened to make too much food for dinner, I'll bring it over." He hadn't made anything yet; the stove's been cold for two weeks. It had probably started to question its existence.

"Don't bother, just set up the table." She said, ending the call.

"Oh shit!" Johan scrambled to the kitchen, getting things in order.

He barely placed the chicken soup and fried rice on the small table when Morgan entered his room, still yawning. Her untied hair spilled over the grey cardigan like a waterfall.

"At least knock." He quipped, wiping the sweat off his face with his t-shirt.

"What is there I haven't seen about you?" She said, dusting the floor before taking a seat.

"You should really mind what you say; people can easily misunderstand that."

"What is there to misunderstand?" She tilted her head, spoon already in the soup bowl.

Sitting across her, Johan scratched his head. How should he start? Or more precisely, where should he start?

So much happened in the past two weeks that he felt like months had passed since he last saw Morgan at the Hospital.

However, unlike him, wracked in worry, she had already taken the first spoonful of the steaming red soup. Since he wanted to impress her properly, he used the magik tomatoes and carrots. Once blended, they gave the most vibrant red he had seen; it felt like the soup itself shone with brilliance.

Now's not the time for this! He caught himself, with violent headshakes to remove the grogginess, and he pulled his focus back at Morgan.

Only that this time she also had her eyes on him, more than that, she held her emptied soup bowl in front of him. Licking her pink lips, Morgan said her piece.

"I approve."

"Approve what?"

"Whatever you were gonna ask for, I approve." Her voice became sterner. "Now, can I get more soup, rice too?"

"Oh… yeah, of course." Johan scrambled to his feet; he didn't even notice when she ate the rice, but she had. Even his portion.

But after that, he paid attention to her speed, and it impressed him. If he didn't know any better, he'd have believed she was a speed type Hunter. It hadn't even been fifteen minutes, and she had her fifth cup of soup, or was it seven? He forgot.

"You have a lot on your mind." She said, chewing on shredded chicken.

"Don't you have any questions?" He asked.

"About what?" She questioned back.

"About everything."

Johan wasn't that naïve. As a certified Alchemist, Morgan should've discovered the specialness of the vegetables he used in the food, and should've heard about the new type of potion being sold on her property. Most of all, as a potion maker herself, she should know the value of said potions and how much they differed from anything on the market. So, why? Why would she not ask him anything?

"Do you remember the day I found you, Johan?" Morgan placed her spoon in the bowl.

"Of course I do." Johan couldn't forget the day, even if he wanted to. As a fresh high school graduate without a roof over his head, he was desperate for a job. And among the dozen places he tried, only one bothered to listen. "What brought this on?"

"It's just that back then you had such good eyes, eyes set on reaching somewhere, achieving a goal, no matter what." Morgan smiled. "I wanted to see you reach that place with my own eyes. I saw the sincerity and passion you had for that dream. But you were stagnating lately, that really saddened me."

"What are you even saying?" Johan sighed. She became unstoppable in this mode.

"Just an elder's musing, I am happy to see that spark back. Although the dream you had back then might be an impossibility." She nodded to herself, like a mother watching her child grow up. "You are finally moving forward."

"Forward? I am just trying to use the hand I got." Johan shook his head. Since he got the class, might as well make the most of it. What use would moping around have? Even if he complained, who would listen? Who would care?

"Huhu, is that really true?" Morgan leaned forward. "Because it looks different from where I stand."

"I am too tired for your riddles." Johan suppressed a yawn. "So, do you truly approve?"

"Yes, I will look for a good part-timer that can take up the register for you, and I don't mind you continuing the sale of the potions. We are certified by the Alchemist Association, so use my name if needed. But in return, I want something."

Johan gulped at her wink; of course, she wouldn't do it for free. That was only correct. Johan already planned to hand over 10% of his profits as a location fee; considering the risk Morgan had to bear, it seemed appropriate. If she wanted more of a cut, he wouldn't mind either.

However, the request Morgan made was a very Morgan-like request.

"Make a meal like this for me once a week."

"That's all?" He blinked.

"Yes, that's all." Morgan nodded.

"…" Johan took a hard look at the impossibly perfect face of his boss, only one thought running through his tired brain.

"Did you just think I am a sucker?" Morgan folded her arms, visibly upset.

"I…I didn't." Johan couldn't face the stern gaze and hung his head. "Sorry, I kinda did."

"This new generation is truly beyond disrespectful. These old bones need quality nourishment, so run along." Morgan huffed before calming down in the next instant. "I know the world isn't as kind as it might've been, maybe it never was, but I for one don't believe in taking advantage of the innocent youth."

Innocent Youth? Me? Somehow, he felt more embarrassed at that moment than during his shenanigans.

"You are stunned, as expected." A smug smile appeared on Morgan's lips. "My reliable elder energy must be off the charts." She puffed out her ample chest.

"The stocks just tanked." Johan deadpanned.

"Aww…" Now sullen, Morgan demanded more food. Much to Johan's regret, he wasn't in a position to refuse.

He didn't know about her being a reliable elder, but Morgan was the best boss he could've asked for.

That Johan believed.
...
Tell me what you think in the comments, I look forward to them.

 

[Gan Sky]

Heck yeah another chapter, Oof some potion manufacturers aren't gonna like this guy especially the big ones.

Will he get his own place in the future? Thanks for the chapter!

 

[Overload69]

Heck yeah another chapter, Oof some potion manufacturers aren't gonna like this guy especially the big ones.

Will he get his own place in the future? Thanks for the chapter!

Click to shrink...

Its gonna be a war fr, also about his own place, yeah, he might or might not get it. I havent reached that part yet.

 

[veekie]

Its gonna be a war fr, also about his own place, yeah, he might or might not get it. I havent reached that part yet.

Click to shrink...

I think he might not for a while - the Hunters are NOT going to respond well to attempts to cut off this guy at the source. It'd run on a low level initially, probably trying to nail his supplier/backer and generally infiltrating the neighborhood, but I expect them to either try to run a snatch and grab on him(he'd just teleport out of course) or a back alley war to try to control access to the shop.

 

[Overload69]

I think he might not for a while - the Hunters are NOT going to respond well to attempts to cut off this guy at the source. It'd run on a low level initially, probably trying to nail his supplier/backer and generally infiltrating the neighborhood, but I expect them to either try to run a snatch and grab on him(he'd just teleport out of course) or a back alley war to try to control access to the shop.

Click to shrink...

Nice prediction, its gonna be a fun arc.