Chapter 231 Chapter 52.1 - 'Reaping what you sow'
?"Kindness does always return back, huh?"
I mumbled as I walked back from the training room. After all, the thing that I was holding in my hands was something that I wouldn't even dream of getting.
'Starbloom Essence, huh?'
It was a specific item that was very hard to get. It wasn't even an easter egg but an item for those pay-to-win players.
After all, what could be a better game for such players to become interested in? Not many people were talented enough to play the game Legacy of Shadows: The Hunter's Destiny. Therefore, there were many players who decided to take the overpowered path and finished the game with overwhelming stats.
To satisfy such players, there were many items that boosted the growth rate of the player, and Starbloom Essence was almost at the peak of one of those.
'To think Senior Maya would possess this item....'
Of course, I already knew what my weakness was. So, I have been searching for ways to increase my physical aspects and my physical talent limit.
My low endurance alone is already making things difficult for me; thus, I need something to cover it up.
However, this world doesn't work just like the game, and neither do I, the main character. I don't possess Ethan's background; therefore, I can't easily acquire such materials.
Especially considering even the lowest ranked ones cost around 100.000 Valer each.
'And they are not even that effective.'
Players could convert their real money to in-game currencies, so those prices in the game didn't matter that much for players.
But when that game becomes your reality, it suddenly becomes detrimental, and I have been suffering from that.
'Even though I had made quite a lot of money already, this is still not enough.'
In any case, the money problem would soon be solved, as the time for me to sell the stocks of Emily's guild is approaching.
'In any case, I should return back and consume the Starbloom Essence first.'
I thought. Senior Maya was incredibly generous with what she gave to me. Even now, if the students around me knew I possessed this herb, they would all attack me without hesitation and may even kill me.
After all, this herb cost around 10.000.000 Valer alone.
'I wonder what her background is.'
Since she didn't have an exceptional role in the game aside from being a nice senior and a good mentor with a tragic ending, she didn't have much of a role.
Thus, her background was actually not explained very well, and I also had no knowledge about it.
But from how she had easily handed me a Feywild Dreamplum and now Starbloom Essence, it was evident that her background was also far from being normal.
'Evergreen, huh? Why did I never hear about that name?'
It was weird. If such a huge family did exist, it was bound to create a name for themselves, but that didn't seem to be the case.
'I should message Horde for that.'
Things considering such general knowledge was Horde's job, but I also knew that trusting such people was not optimal. Especially considering the amount of information they would hold concerning me.
In any case, with those thoughts in my head, I reached my first location—the Arcadia Academy Store.
It was the place where I had bought the scrolls last time to hunt the MistWraith down. Normally, I disliked buying from this place as the prices here were too high compared to the Black Market, but I didn't want to wait right now.
"How can I help you?"
"I will buy some herbs."
"You may go to the right section of the store. On the fifth row, you will see Alchemy products."
"Thank you."
I bit my lips until they bled, desperate to ground myself in some form of reality. The metallic taste of blood mingled with the magical energies in the air, creating a surreal sensation. My muscles tensed involuntarily, and my vision blurred with each passing moment.
The process continued, the water around me becoming a conduit for the essence to enter my body. Every inch of my skin tingled with energy as I absorbed the powerful essence through my open mana pores.
'Not yet.'
The bathwater seemed to churn with otherworldly energy, responding to the tumultuous transformation taking place within me.
'Endure it.'
I clutched the sides of the bath, my knuckles turning white as the pain escalated to a crescendo.
'Endure it.'
For a moment, I felt like I was losing control. The room spun, and I could sense my insides turning out.
'You are still weak, endure it.'
Every nerve screamed in protest, and I wondered if I had underestimated the price of such enhancement.
'This pain is nothing....This pain is nothing compared to that time.....'
But deep within the chaos, a stubborn resolve anchored me. I had come this far, enduring the pain for the promise of strength.
The benefits, I reminded myself, outweighed the momentary suffering. To make those who had taken the world from my pay, such endurance was necessary.
'Until the end, I will endure every pain that is necessary.'
As the seconds stretched into an eternity, the pain reached a zenith, threatening to engulf me entirely.
'DON'T FUCKING LOSE YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS ON ME!'
I gritted my teeth, determined not to succumb to the overwhelming torment. It was a battle between my will and the relentless onslaught of the Starbloom Essence. But I knew that the more I endured, the more I absorbed, the stronger I would get.
Some people may have been born with the talent.
Some people may have been born with good backgrounds.
Some of them might be the main characters of the game....
The child of the plane....
The chosen ones....
For me, I didn't care about any of those. Even if those things weren't handed to me, so what?
Even if my body was lacking and weak, so what?
Even if my talent limit was lower, so what?
None of those matter. For me, there is one goal that is in front of me, and I am going to achieve it no matter what.
A surge of strength coursed through me, and I endured a little more.
Then, as if the universe itself acknowledged my tenacity, the water in the bath lost its vibrant color. The essence, once vivid and pulsating, had been completely absorbed.
"Haaaah....Haaaaaah....."
Gasping for breath, I clung to the edges of the bath, trembling with exhaustion. The pain, while still present, began to recede. I could feel the essence integrated into every fiber of my being.
GULP!
As I gulped the essence of the Emberleaf Petals to close my pores, I could feel the anchors inside my body.
The pain was still ongoing, but at this point, I no longer needed to retain my consciousness.
'Isn't that enough.....'
Just like that, I closed my eyes.....