MMORPG: REBORN MARK ADVENTURE IN ONLINE GAME

As the ancient stone door rumbled open, a thick wave of stale, toxic air rolled out, forcing the group to step back. The dim glow of their surroundings barely illuminated the space beyond, but what little they could see was enough to make Raven's breath hitch.

Inside the chamber, dense vegetation sprawled across the walls and floor—twisting vines, bulbous plants, and eerie, pulsating flowers that seemed alive. Their colors ranged from a sickly green to a deep, unnatural violet, each one exuding a faint, poisonous mist.

Ana covered her mouth with her sleeve, eyes widening. "These plants… they're all…"

Liz finished the thought. "Forbidden in alchemy."

Even Mist Low—who normally had a quip for everything—whistled softly. "Now that's rare. You don't just find this kind of stuff lying around."

Daniel narrowed his eyes. "Forbidden why exactly?"

Raven stepped forward, scanning the plants with a mixture of fascination and caution.

"They're too dangerous. Some of these species can create toxins that even Master Alchemists can't neutralize. Others are so potent they can kill just from prolonged exposure." He pointed to a small, unassuming black flower nestled among the vines. "That one alone is classified as a catastrophic-level poison. Even a few drops could wipe out an entire village."

Daniel took a very large step back.

Liz frowned, her gaze flickering across the bizarre assortment of plants. "But if they're so dangerous, why are they all gathered here?"

Mist Low tapped his chin. "Maybe someone was cultivating them?"

Raven shook his head. "No. Look at how overgrown everything is. This place hasn't been maintained for years." His gaze darkened. "This was a sealed chamber. Whoever put these plants here didn't want them to spread."

Ana glanced at the walls, noting the ancient runes still faintly glowing along the edges of the chamber. "Then that means… the runes weren't just to lock the door."

Raven nodded. "They were meant to contain whatever's in here."

A tense silence fell over the group.

Daniel crossed his arms. "So let me get this straight. We just opened a sealed chamber full of alchemically forbidden poison plants that were locked away for a reason?"

Mist Low grinned. "That does seem to be the situation."

Daniel sighed. "Of course we did."

Raven, however, wasn't paying attention anymore. His gaze had locked onto something at the far end of the chamber—a raised stone pedestal.

And on it, nestled within a bed of curling, violet vines, was a sealed glass container.

Inside that container?

A strange, glowing liquid pulsing with an unnatural light.

His instincts screamed at him.

That wasn't just any alchemical ingredient.

That was something far worse.

Raven moved carefully, methodically.

He didn't rush. He didn't make unnecessary movements. One mistake, and he could set off a chain reaction that might turn this entire chamber into a death zone.

Fortunately, he wasn't working blind.

Varian's tools—a set of alchemy-grade isolation gloves, reinforced collection jars, and a poison-neutralizing extraction knife—were more than enough to handle even these forbidden plants.

Raven carefully used the knife's enchanted edge to sever the stems of the most valuable specimens, ensuring that none of the toxins leaked into the air. The gloves provided complete resistance to the corrosive fluids, while the collection jars automatically sealed the moment a plant was placed inside.

Perfect.

His goal was simple: gather everything he needed to complete his quest without causing any trouble.

And for once?

It was actually going smoothly.

As he secured the final plant specimen, a notification appeared.

Quest Status: completed

• Completion Requirements: Collect all 5 poisonous plants and destroy them using the proper alchemical method.

• Current Location: Poison Cave, Starlight Forest

Please meet varian for rewards.

Raven exhaled slowly.

Done.

A small, satisfied smirk tugged at his lips. This was rare—getting through something this dangerous without complications. He wasn't about to complain.

While he worked, the others had spread out across the chamber, each searching for any useful finds.

Mist Low had wandered to an ancient stone shelf, his fingers skimming across dust-covered scrolls and crumbling alchemical notes.

Ana was crouched near a patch of glowing fungi, muttering about their possible properties.

Liz had found an old chest partially buried under the overgrowth, her hands brushing away the vines as she worked to pry it open.

Daniel?

Daniel was standing in the safest possible spot, touching absolutely nothing.

He crossed his arms. "I just want to point out that opening this door was probably a terrible idea."

Mist Low, who had just pocketed an old alchemical tome, grinned. "And yet, you're still here."

Daniel sighed. "Because I have poor life choices."

Ana giggled as she examined a vial she had found. "Admitting it is the first step."

Meanwhile, Raven had moved toward the sealed container on the pedestal.

He carefully lifted it, inspecting the strange, glowing liquid inside. The energy coming from it was… unnerving.

His fingers tightened around the glass.

He didn't know what this was—but he was taking it with him.

Raven carefully turned the sealed glass container in his hands, watching the strange glowing liquid swirl inside. The substance pulsed with an unnatural energy, shifting between a deep violet and a sickly green, as if it was alive.

The ancient runes etched along the surface of the glass flickered weakly, suggesting the seal had weakened over time.

Ana walked up beside him, her brows furrowed. "That's… not something I've ever seen before."

Liz, who had just successfully cracked open the old chest and was examining its contents, glanced over. "What's inside?"

Raven held it up so they could see. "No idea. But whatever it is, someone thought it was worth locking away."

Mist Low appeared behind them, leaning over Raven's shoulder. "That's usually a sign that it's either priceless… or lethal."

Daniel groaned. "Why do I feel like it's going to be the second one?"

Raven ignored him and focused on the runes sealing the glass. They weren't just ordinary protective inscriptions—this was ancient alchemy. The kind that guild researchers in his past life had spent years trying to decode.

And here he was, holding it in his hands.

His mind raced.

If he brought this back to Varian, would the old alchemist even recognize it? Or was this something that predated modern alchemy altogether?

As Raven debated his next move, the others continued their search.

---

Mist Low's Find

Mist Low, always the opportunist, had wandered to another part of the room, where a large, half-collapsed bookshelf stood against the wall. Most of the ancient texts had rotted away, but one leather-bound book remained intact, its cover marked with strange golden symbols.

He grabbed it and casually flipped it open—only for the pages to shift on their own.

A faint glow pulsed through the parchment as letters reshaped themselves, forming new text before his eyes.

Mist Low's smirk widened. "Oh? Now this is interesting."

Ana and Liz turned at the sound of his voice. "What did you find?" Liz asked.

"Not sure yet," Mist Low admitted, scanning the ever-shifting text. "But it's definitely not normal."

Ana hesitated. "You should probably be careful—"

Before she could finish, the book vibrated violently, and a sudden burst of faint golden mist leaked from its pages.

The room fell silent.

Everyone turned to Mist Low.

Daniel, standing safely in the corner, pointed at him. "If that thing summons something, you're dealing with it alone."

Mist Low just laughed, closing the book with a snap. "Relax. If it was dangerous, it would've attacked by now."

Raven, still holding the sealed relic, narrowed his eyes. "That doesn't mean it's safe."

Mist Low simply tucked the book into his coat. "That's what makes it fun."

---

Ana's Discovery

While the others bickered, Ana turned her attention back to a cluster of small, glowing fungi growing along the base of the stone pedestal.

Unlike the poison plants around them, these fungi didn't seem hostile. Instead, they emitted a gentle, golden light, contrasting sharply with the eerie, corrupted vegetation surrounding them.

Curious, Ana knelt down and reached out, brushing her fingers lightly against one of the caps. The moment she touched it, a system notification popped up.

> [Rare Alchemical Ingredient Found!]

Lunaris Spores – A highly valuable reagent, known for its ability to neutralize toxic substances and enhance purification potions.

Ana's eyes widened. "This… this is incredible."

Liz glanced over. "What is?"

Ana turned to face them, excitement flickering in her gaze. "These fungi—they're not like the poison plants. They're Lunaris Spores. They can be used to counteract toxins and even enhance purification potions. This could be worth a fortune to the right alchemist!"

Raven immediately perked up at that.

A rare detoxifying ingredient hidden in the middle of a forbidden poison chamber? That wasn't a coincidence.

It was insurance.

Whoever had sealed this place must have planted these fungi here as a last resort, in case someone ever needed a way to neutralize the poisons inside.

Which meant…

There was a bigger reason why this chamber was sealed.

Raven exchanged glances with Ana. "Take all of them."

Ana nodded and carefully began harvesting the spores. Unlike the poison plants, these were relatively safe to handle, though she still worked meticulously to avoid damaging them.

Daniel, still watching from his self-proclaimed "safe spot," muttered, "Are we sure taking all this stuff isn't going to bite us in the ass later?"

Raven, Mist Low, Ana, and Liz all answered at the same time:

"Nope."

Daniel groaned. "That's what I thought."

---

The Final Haul

After securing the Lunaris Spores, double-checking their inventory, and ensuring they hadn't missed anything valuable, the group gathered near the exit of the chamber.

Mist Low casually tossed a gold coin in the air. "Not a bad haul. Poison plants, rare alchemy materials, a mysterious relic, and some questionable literature."

Liz grinned. "Oh, and let's not forget Daniel's emotional trauma."

Daniel scowled. "I hate all of you."

Raven ignored them, his focus still on the sealed relic in his hands.

Something about it still bothered him.

He didn't know what it was yet… but he had a feeling this wasn't over.