Chapter 73: Making a Devil Fruit
[You have used [Goethe's Alchemy Manual]. Your alchemy skill has reached the Expert level.]
[Your secondary class, Alchemist Apprentice, has met the advancement requirements. Please choose one of the following three paths: Transmutation Master, Applied Alchemy Master, or Potion Master.]
There were three advancement paths for the Alchemist secondary profession. Choosing one was a permanent decision; to change paths, one had to forget all related skills and start over—a heavy price to pay.
Transmutation Masters specialized in using Alchemist Stones to convert elements. Upon advancing, they could conduct more sophisticated research into elemental conversion, develop unique formulas, and achieve greater efficiency. In the later stages of the game, learning the silver-to-mithril formula was a guaranteed way to earn a fortune.
Applied Alchemists, on the other hand, focused on the practical application of alchemical arrays. They could use these arrays to create a variety of unique gadgets, making the specialization somewhat similar to Zhou Ning's Puppet Alchemy but more oriented toward everyday conveniences and leisure. However, hidden within the Church of the God of War was a rare blueprint for alchemical armor, a design exclusive to Applied Alchemists. In his previous life, a player had successfully crafted it, and the results were quite impressive.
Finally, the Potion Master was, as the name suggested, skilled in brewing all manner of potions. After advancing, they could develop more potent and often exclusive formulas through experimentation. They also enjoyed a higher success rate when brewing and had a chance to create potions with superior effects.
In Zhou Ning's view, both the second and third paths were viable options, but considering he already had Puppet Alchemy, Potion Master was the only logical choice.
[Advancement successful! You have obtained the new secondary profession [Alchemist/Potion Master]. Willpower +1 (Superb Physique +0.35), Spirit +1 (Superb Physique +0.35)]
[You have learned a new skill: [Potion Mixing]]
[You have mastered new recipes: [Starlight Preparation], [Fortune Potion], [Super Life Potion], [Super Mana Potion].]
Not bad, Zhou Ning thought, breathing a sigh of relief. Reaching the expert level was the true entry point into the field of alchemy. Advancing further to Master Alchemist, however, required dealing with the Alchemist Association and other major factions. The main condition for advancement was to obtain certification from the Association, which first required learning twelve alchemy formulas of expert level or higher.
The problem was that these advanced formulas were almost all exclusive to the various major powers, who rarely shared them with outsiders. The path to becoming a Master Alchemist was a long one.
Zhou Ning turned his attention to his new [Potion Mixing] skill and decided to use it. This was the only way for a Potion Master to obtain recipes above the expert level on their own. The skill allowed him to discover one new recipe per day by consuming random herbs and experience points. The recipe's level was random, and naturally, the higher the level, the lower the chance of success.
Fortunately, Zhou Ning had anticipated this and had bought a small variety of herbs two days ago, storing them in the alchemy laboratory. They were finally coming in handy.
[You have spent 4000 experience points, 1 fish scale, 1 gill grass, and 1 castor oil to discover a new recipe: Underwater Breathing Potion.]
[Underwater Breathing Potion]: An intermediate alchemical recipe. Requires fish scales, gill grass, and castor oil. Allows the user to breathe underwater for 15 minutes.
At the same time, the [Potion Mixing] skill entered a 24-hour cooldown.
The result was rather ordinary, but Zhou Ning wasn't disappointed. Alchemy was a long-term endeavor that required patience.
Compared to the unremarkable experimental recipe, the ones he learned from advancing were quite good. The [Super Life Potion] and [Super Mana Potion] were staples for any adventurer and sold very well. The [Starlight Preparation] was not only a catalyst for making high-tier potions but also a key ingredient for crafting Devil Fruits. As for the [Fortune Potion], it was a more esoteric concoction that was in high demand among players, rumored to grant a temporary boost of good luck.
The 150 bottles of [Intelligence Potion] for Professor Weasley were already finished. For now, Zhou Ning's next goal was to focus on producing [Starlight Preparation] and [Fortune Potion].
His schedule for the next few days was packed. School was starting the day after tomorrow, and although he was a senior, he still had two major-specific classes each week, plus physical training on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoons. Just thinking about it was exhausting.
Making [Starlight Preparation] required large amounts of Moonstone and Dragonscale Grass, while [Fortune Potion] needed Blackroot Grass and Icecap Flower. These were all relatively expensive herbs, and the materials needed for the Devil Fruit were pricier still. He conservatively estimated it would cost no less than 800 Vectars.
He glanced down at his lunch.
The whole meal cost less than a single Roshen.
The food in Zhou Ning's mouth suddenly lost all its flavor.
No wonder Professor Weasley is so stingy. He's probably been forced into it by the high cost of alchemical materials.
After a simple lunch, Zhou Ning stood up, stretched, and opened the curtains. Outside, the sun was hidden behind the clouds. According to the weather forecast, a strong wind was expected this afternoon.
He turned to look at Jinse, who was still tidying up his alchemy table. "When are you leaving?" he asked.
"In half an hour." Jinse glanced at the countdown on her panel, feeling a bit wistful. She wished she had more time to gain experience.
Although she hadn't gone on many adventures, she had earned a great deal of experience just by helping Wayne with his alchemy and had even triggered several small tasks. She had learned two new skills in the past two days alone, causing her combat effectiveness to skyrocket. Her starting point was already far ahead of most professional players—and besides, she got to enjoy the view of a handsome guy at work.
Zhou Ning felt a twinge of regret at losing such a good assistant. He nodded. "Alright. Remember to clean the room again before you go, then lock the door on your way out."
Jinse froze.
I'm reluctant to leave, but does he have to be so blunt about me just being a tool?
…
After giving Jinse her instructions, Zhou Ning left the alchemy laboratory and hailed a public carriage to the Golden Oak Herb Shop.
When he walked in, Richard wasn't there. Behind the counter was a middle-aged man with graying hair. He looks familiar, Zhou Ning thought. He's the NPC who teaches herbalism in Apocalypse.
"Good afternoon, sir. I'm Wayne Sternwell. Is Richard in?" Zhou Ning asked politely.
"I'm Richard's father. Welcome," the middle-aged man said with a wry smile. "Richard… he's in some trouble."
He continued, "Last night, on his way home, he suddenly went berserk and stabbed a homeless man who was passing by. Fortunately, the man wasn't seriously hurt, just some minor injuries. But Richard will have to stay at the police station for a few days."
Zhou Ning's expression turned grim. He remembered what Qi'en had told him: of the twenty-seven survivors from the sacrifice, only nine had made it out unscathed. The others either became deformed or committed suicide.
It seemed Richard wasn't as lucky as he was and was likely on the verge of deforming.
"Mr. Pesa, Richard's condition could be serious," Zhou Ning said, repeating Qi'en's warning to the older man. "From what I understand, you have two options. One is to go to the church immediately and find a cleric. The other is to find the Day Keepers. They might have a solution. I have a good relationship with them, so if you need help, I can get you in contact."
Old Pesa's expression grew serious. He gave a subtle nod. "I understand. Thank you. I have to step out for a moment. If you need anything, just tell the clerk. I'll have him give you a discount."
After Old Pesa left, Zhou Ning purchased a large quantity of herbs, spending over 800 Vectars in one go. His small fortune of 1,000 Vectars instantly dwindled to just 185.
At 1:30 p.m., someone from the Golden Oak Herb Shop delivered the materials to his alchemy laboratory. After a short rest, Zhou Ning began the tedious work of grinding the moonstone and dragonscale grass.
I have an idea, he thought. Maybe the Day Keepers would be interested in an Animal-type Devil Fruit.
---
⭐ $5 Tier – Early Access!
Stay 50 chapters ahead of public releases on RoyalRoad, Webnovel, and Scribble Hub.
Latest available chapter: 129.
⭐ $10 Tier – Super Early Access!
Stay 100 chapters ahead of public releases on RoyalRoad, Webnovel, and Scribble Hub.
Latest available chapter: 179.
📖 Chapters are uploaded as soon as they're completed, so you'll always stay ahead of the curve.
💖 By joining, you'll be directly supporting the story while enjoying exclusive early access.
🔗 Patreon link is in My Profile/About.
⚠️ Please select your membership carefully, as I have multiple novels ongoing.
🍎 If you're on Apple, consider subscribing through your browser instead — it's cheaper for you, and I'll receive payments faster.