Genius Regressor Makes Mythic Items

Chapter 31. Beginning (2)

TL: xLordFifth
ED/PR: The reader

Drip, drip.

Into the clear flask, bluish drops of liquid fall, one by one.

Distillation.

A method of separating a liquid mixture based on differences in boiling points.Without any specific chemical reactions, a physical separation of mixtures, a technique humanity has used for a long time.

Of course, when alchemy is involved, and the ingredients are not the conventional symbol of distillation, alcohol, but those based on magical power, the story changes.

“Just a little… just a bit more…”

Even 15 years after the emergence of the Galaxy Arena, mana was an energy source that couldn’t be explained by science. An indefinable source of energy. One common feature of such magical power was its ‘sensitive state’ in the process of distillation.

Which means,

“Just three more drops here…”

That this was the most dangerous step in the production process so far. To put it simpler,

Pop.

“Whoops!”

This was, arguably, the part where alchemists most frequently caused explosions.

One.

-Oppa!

“I know. I’ve prepared the stabilizer.”

In a world swarming with countless outbreaks and criminal villains at the first level, for Shimun, the risk of magical explosions was virtually equivalent to zero, especially while working with the legendary item, the Philosopher’s Stone.

Tszszszsk.

As the stabilizer was injected into the flask, the sparks flying from the blue solution quickly subsided. It may seem like simply pouring in a stabilizer, but to a high-ranking alchemist, the sight would be astonishing.

Because,

-As expected, you’re amazing. Both the timing and the dosage were perfect!

The precision Shimun showed in injecting the stabilizer was akin to a machine. It was as perfect as the amount of seasoning added by eye in cooking could be if measured with a scale.

“Surviving in that world at level 1, this is nothing.”

In reality, for Shimun, it was not a big deal.

As the body grew increasingly frail, even a minor magical explosion could cause severe injuries,

Hence, it was a skill naturally acquired out of necessity.

-Again! I told you, didn’t I? You lack self-awareness. At times like this, you should just say, I did great~!

“…Alright. I did great, happy?”

-Yes, yes! You did really well!

“You little…”

Was getting the precise amount of stabilizer that satisfying?

Shimun let out a slight chuckle at the exhilarated Philosopher’s Stone.

Then,

Trickle.

He transferred the distilled liquid into a specially prepared container,

A potion bottle, and added precisely prepared ingredient items.

‘It was definitely two drops, right?’

He dropped two drops of [Refined Basilisk Venom].

Hssssss.

Like carbonation fizzing,

Or like oil sizzling on a griddle, the sound was unceasing.

But along with that, more foam formed than the volume of the blue solution, only to quickly subside just as fast.

“Now, all that’s left is to mix it…”

Shimun, reminiscent of a skilled bartender,

Grasped the neck of the potion bottle and smoothly rotated it.

Consequently, the blue solution turned navy blue and stabilized.

Pop.

Shimun sealed the mouth of the potion bottle with a specially prepared stopper.

-Oh my! Look at the color! Brother, this turned out really well, didn’t it?

“Didn’t it?”

To an alchemist, creations are akin to their own children.

Shimun smiled contentedly, inspecting the information of the potion he had crafted.

[Name Unspecified]

Grade: B+

– Removes symptoms of mana petrification remaining in the body when taken.

A remedy using poison specially refined from materials with various magic powers as its base.

Its effects were maximized through high-level alchemy.

“Hmm. Good.”

Kim Shimun nodded in satisfaction.

Although there’s additional content in the item description.

Generally, when the creation process is perfect, a plus (+) is added to the grade.

Naturally, its efficacy is much higher than that of a regular grade.

If it’s about probabilistic effects, it almost brings it to 100%.

And if there are any side effects, it reduces them to almost none.

‘Well, this time, there wasn’t really a need for the plus grade though…’

In the case of the mana petrification remedy.

It didn’t have a chance option attached.

And since it had no other efficacy apart from treating mana petrification, there wasn’t really a need to obsess over the plus grade.

However.

‘It’s a matter of pride, after all.’

The satisfaction he felt now was due to the pride he had as someone who devoted his life to alchemy.

Especially since the core ingredient for the creation of the remedy, [Basilisk’s Venom], was notoriously difficult to handle, wasn’t it?

Refining a poison with paralytic and hardening qualities to have the opposite effect truly required a high level of expertise.

Kim Shimun looked at the green bottle and various materials placed on the workbench with a satisfied face.

‘I won’t lack anything to make other elixirs.’

Truly fitting for a player of the diamond rank?

The materials sent by Park Jinwook were plentiful, not only in quality but also in quantity.

That must have shown how desperate he was for the treatment of mana petrification.

Kim Shimun stretched, loosening the stiffness in his back from making the remedy.

“Ha! Let’s name the other elixirs gradually. First, we need a name for this one.”

Naturally, at this time, there wasn’t a cure for mana petrification.

So, the name of the remedy was yet to be determined.

Kim Shimun touched the name field in the remedy’s information window and entered. “mana petrification Remedy.”

Ding.

[You have created an item for the first time.]

[You have achieved the achievement. ‘I’m the Original!’.]

[You have gained 500 achievement points.]

Unlike usual, the system window went up with a clear sound effect.

‘Now that I think about it, there was an achievement for first-time creation.’

Except in special cases.

If a player creates an item that can be used, they achieve the first-time creation achievement.

‘And it seems like it could be applied multiple times…’

He vaguely remembered hearing from a broadcast of a famous production player before his regression.

The first-time creation achievement could be applied more than once.

‘There are quite a few unmade Arena disease remedies.’

500 achievement points were equivalent to one Astrape.

If he earns that each time he achieves the first-time creation, it could be quite profitable.

‘If I get the chance, I should make them whenever possible.’

Considering that mana petrification is a rather mild Arena disease.

Most Arena disease remedies devoured precious materials like a horse.

It would also become a steady source of funds in the future, so he planned to look for opportunities to make them whenever possible.

First, though.

‘I should deliver the remedy to the Night Hunter.’

Kim Shimun prepared to go out, taking the remedy with him.

-Huh? Bro, are you going to deliver it right away?

“Yes. He contacted me while I was in the middle of making the remedy.”

After putting on his coat, Kim Shimun turned on his phone.

There.

[Kim Shihyuk: Bro! I saw your broadcast! Was it silver? Really awesome, right? It can deal and heal…]

[Li Yujeong: Brother, I watched the broadcast well! As expected, brother…]

‘When did these kids send these?’

Messages from his two siblings were piled up.

[Kim Shimun: Yes. TYTY.]

Kim Shimun briefly replied to his siblings with a message mixed with emoticons and then checked the message he had seen earlier.

[Park Jinwook: Mr. Kim Shimun, I have found the subject for your request.]

* * *

In the spacious office adorned with the logo of Holy Trinity.

“Manager Park, this is not right.”

Holy Trinity’s HR department, one of the major guilds in the country, was spending its day as usual.

“What’s wrong. It’s just the two of us.”

“Manager.”

“Enough. Yeonhee, if someone heard us, they’d think I was up to something sinister. It was just hand-holding, for goodness’ sake.”

“And that’s exactly why you got caught by the lady!”

“Is that my fault? Entering without knocking on the door…”

At that moment.

Bang!

“Hey, Manager Park.”

Interrupting Manager Park, who had been fiddling with Woo Yeonhee’s hand.

The office door swung open.

“What’s this, Assistant Manager Woo is here too? Long time no see.”

“It has been a long time, Manager Ahn.”

As expected of players ranked Diamond and Platinum.

Instead of holding each other’s hands, Park Minchul and Woo Yeonhee had swiftly moved apart, now fidgeting with a hefty stack of documents.

“Ahn Hojin, what brings you here?”

Park Minchul’s voice rumbled lowly.

Ahn Hojin brushed back his deeply parted hair with a smile.

“Come on, meeting an old colleague after so long, aren’t you being a bit too standoffish?”

His face, made more amiable by his plump cheeks, hardly concealed his motive.

“Skip the nonsense, and give me an answer.”

Park Minchul’s voice remained icy.

“Same old, same old, huh.”

Yet, Ahn Hojin, without missing a beat, sauntered over and flopped down on the sofa.

His gaze settled on Woo Yeonhee.

“Hey, Assistant Manager Woo. A guest has arrived, you could at least offer a cup of coffee.”

“That son of a…”

“Right away.”

Before Park Minchul could react.

Woo Yeonhee nodded and headed to the pantry.

Watching her leave, Ahn Hojin’s smile grew deeper.

“Ha! She’s still so fit. If I had awakened, too, to have a killer body like…”

“Ahn Hojin.”

“Ha! It’s a compliment, a compliment. Awakening is a dream for us, ordinary folks, right?”

Inside, he had imagined punching that annoying face countless times.

‘Disgusting rat.’

But Park Minchul knew all too well that showing such emotions was exactly what Ahn Hojin was baiting him for.

So, Park Minchul repeated the virtue of. ‘patience’ to himself, clenching and unclenching his fists instead.

Was it a wise move?

“Tsk. Became a Diamond rank and lost all your fun?”

A tinge of disappointment flashed across Ahn Hojin’s smug face.

“Stop with the nonsense and get to the point.”

“In such a hurry.”

Ahn Hojin casually threw a document onto the table, right in front of himself rather than Park Minchul, knowing full well what it implied.

‘No intention of making this easy, bastard.’

Park Minchul bit his lip and moved to sit opposite Ahn Hojin.

Before even picking up the document,

“An incident report?”

He tilted his head at the word. ‘incident report’ written prominently at the top.

“Why the surprise? Nothing prickles your conscience?”

“Of course not. This one’s on you, isn’t it?”

Ahn Hojin burst into laughter.

Having served coffee to Ahn Hojin, Woo Yeonhee caught his wink and he leisurely took a sip.

“Does it taste different because a beauty made it?”

“Cut the crap. What is this?”

“What do you mean what? It’s an incident report, as you see.”

“Ahn Hojin.”

“Alright, alright. Stop glaring. You’ll kill someone at this rate. I’m just a mere mortal.”

Though Ahn Hojin’s sip of the coffee seemed unbearably smug.

Park Minchul could only glower at him with a dark gaze.

“As you know, I belong to the Audit Department.”

For the first time, a faint smile appeared on Park Minchul’s lips.

‘The Audit Department, huh…’

It wasn’t a lie.

That damned colleague indeed was a manager in the Audit Department.

However,

“The Audit Department, my foot. You’re just the chairman’s lapdog.”

Chairman Holy Trinity. Handling all kinds of clean-up was simply part of Suncheol’s job description.

“Ah, this guy here? I’m the one they brought from the station.”

Park Minchul’s words could have been quite humiliating, yet

“I suppose you’ve got the hint by now, but this is a message directly from the chairman to you.”

An Hojin still wore that sly smile.

“To me? I haven’t done anything to displease the chairman.”

“Acting ignorant, are we? There’s been some noise about a rookie recently.”

At that, Park Minchul’s eyes twitched subtly.

Clearly, he was supposed to be a nobody.

“Looks like our Manager Park is in the know, huh?”

An Hojin didn’t miss that small change.

“Then this will be easy. Why haven’t you recruited him?”

“Are you questioning our methods? Sorry, but we don’t operate like that.”

“We? You’re funny.”

Twining his thick fingers together, An Hojin retorted,

“Bastard. Being part of the Holy Trinity Guild and not knowing who the real boss is? Huh?!”

“The personnel decisions of the Holy Trinity Guild are entirely up to Yujeong-ssi Lee. The chairman has delegated that responsibility to her.”

“Maddening. So, the miss would leave that honey pot untouched just because…”

“Exactly.”

“…What?”

An Hojin’s smile finally broke.

He looked at Park Minchul, utterly dumbfounded.

“Park Minchul, what did you just say?”

“Deaf? Yujeong-ssi Lee instructed us to leave Player Kim Shimun alone.”

“Ha!”

An Hojin let out a hollow laugh.

After all, it was well known that although Yujeong Lee officially handled external personnel matters, Park Minchul was the one solving all the internal issues.

‘Yujeong-ssi Lee…’ This was unforeseen.

Seeing An Hojin filled with such expressions, Park Minchul casually tossed the incident report back.

“If we’re done here, leave. I’m busy.”

“Ah, this guy! Even if it’s the lady’s order, you should have intervened if it was harmful to the company.”

“It’s not a company; it’s a guild.”

“Same difference! Don’t you know why the chairman placed you in this position? The lady is only 24!”

“This is a position I earned with my abilities, and I’m willing to step aside for anyone more capable. That’s the principle of the Holy Trinity Guild.”

Clearly done engaging.

As Park Minchul stood up, An Hojin did too.

“Really, is this how you’re going to handle things?! Family-less orphan bastard!”

“For the third time, this is a direct order from the miss.”

“And that’s it! Why in the world are you listening to a mere girl’s opinion?! She’s just a 24-year-old kid!”

“The guild is different from regular companies. The principle of power applies here. Yujeong-ssi Lee is the most powerful player in our guild.”

Park Minchul pointedly placed his hand on the shouting An Hojin’s shoulder.

From a distance, it might have looked like a common gesture between close friends.

“Jealous? Then trample over Lee Yujeong-ssi yourself. Stop raising your voice in someone else’s office.”

“Argh!”

An Hojin’s face turned deep red under the grip of a Diamond Player’s strength, a response not just from the physical pressure.

“Think this will go unpunished? Gotten too big for your boots, forgot who owns Holy Trinity, have you?!”

“I’m aware. But you’re not the chairman, are you?”

Mocking An Hojin, Park Minchul turned away.

“But since you’ve come all this way, leave the report. I’ll write…”

Bang!

An Hojin stormed out before he could finish his sentence.

Watching this, Woo Yeonhee, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up.

“Will this be alright? Given Manager An’s temper, he won’t let this go easily.”

“Well, he’ll probably tattle to the chairman and go after Player Kim Shimun.”

“That’s why I ask. According to Secretary Kang Dayoung, Player Kim Shimun seems quite close to Miss Lee…”

“What that guy does implies nothing we can stop at our level.”

Park Minchul glanced at the incident report left on the table and dismissed it with a flip of his hand.

Then,

Woosh.

A small flame sprouted at the corner of the report.

“Why burn it? Weren’t you going to write it?”

“It would be useless, anyway.”

Shrugging, Park Minchul pulled out his phone.

“Indeed. That makes sense.”

Yeonhee nodded without much further word.

Park Minchul, phone to his ear, soon said,

“Yes, Miss. It’s me.”