Chapter 134: Preparations

After visiting several shops, Hughes gathered a few vials and returned to his villa, ready to have the chip collect the necessary data.

"Chip, optimize the effects of the natural potion." Hughes opened the purchased potions one by one, initiating the data collection process.

"Beep! Task established! Optimizing natural potion effects!"
"Beep! Collecting!"

The chip finished the collection quickly, leaving Hughes to wait for the results. Meanwhile, Hughes took out the materials he had gathered. The three potions he had obtained from his bloodline—Watcher’s Tears, Breath of Life, and Azure Heart—were all intended to increase spiritual power. Among the materials Hughes brought back this time, only some for the Azure Heart were present. In particular, he was unsure if the Breath of Life formula was even authentic, as its primary ingredient was the legendary leaf of the World Tree. This led Hughes to decide against researching that formula until he returned to Yarkri.

Three days passed quickly, and Hughes once again stepped into the headquarters of the Silver Rose. He navigated the familiar path to his group’s laboratory and waited for Brenda’s arrival.

"Alright, now that everyone is here, I will begin announcing our group’s tasks for this month!" Brenda, the last to arrive, picked up a sheet of paper and began to read.

"Deli, thirty vials of Frost Potion!"
"Seiya, thirty vials of Mist Body Potion!"
"..."
"Hughes! Thirty vials of Dragon Potion!" Brenda finally called his name last.

"Additionally, there are two hundred vials of Scorching Potion. This is a mid-level potion, to be completed collectively by our group! The deadline is also within this month." Brenda explained, knowing Hughes was new. "You may now begin collecting your respective potion materials. You have twenty days to finish your individual thirty vials before we work together on the Scorching Potion! If there is nothing else, you may arrange your own schedules." After the announcement, Brenda signed the paper and walked out.

Once everyone else had taken their share, Hughes picked up his own materials and the potion formula.

"Chip, analyze and simulate the Dragon Potion formula." Hughes immediately tasked the chip, knowing he had to rely on the Silver Rose to exchange for resources.

"Beep! Task established! Analyzing simulation of Dragon Potion. Estimated time: 8 hours."

With the task assigned, Hughes was left alone in the lab; the other wizards had taken their materials and left, evidently intending to brew elsewhere. After some thought, Hughes decided to return to his villa; he could brew them after returning from the secret realm.

Back at the villa, not long after, the chip transmitted the optimized natural potion data to him.

"The effect has more than doubled?" Hughes was very satisfied with the result. He immediately used the materials he had obtained from Gutter to brew five vials.

He took the finished potions to the trading area to sell. As expected, his high-quality healing potions were very popular and were bought at a high price by a wizard. To prevent trouble, Hughes made sure to wear his Silver Rose badge; many who had designs on the potions immediately abandoned their thoughts upon seeing the insignia.

For two days, Hughes continuously sold potions, bought materials, and sold again. Through this repetition, his reputation grew, and more customers came. Soon, news of his natural potions reached the Silver Rose. Hughes knew this would inevitably attract their attention, but there was no other choice; if he didn't cooperate with the Silver Rose, other organizations would certainly find a way to obtain the formula. Since he could not refuse, he had to find a way to maximize his own benefits.

Sure enough, the Silver Rose sent someone soon after. The wizard, who initially arrived with a threatening air, immediately wore a smile upon seeing the badge on Hughes's chest.

"So, you are a colleague! I am also a wizard of the Silver Rose," the man, Musha, said, revealing his own badge. "Do you have time? Lord Kairu wants me to take you to the headquarters. It is likely regarding the potions you are selling." Musha looked at the potions in Hughes's hand with envy; it wasn't just him, the entire Silver Rose was stirred. The Silver Rose was the largest potion supplier in all of Holy Circle City and even the entire Lost Realm. They had everything, except for high-quality healing potions, which showed just how precious the ones in Hughes's hands were.

"Of course, it would be my honor!" Hughes was not surprised and followed Musha to the Silver Rose to meet Kairu.

"Lord Kairu, I have brought him!" Musha called out from outside the door.
"Hmm! Let him in!" Kairu’s voice came from behind the door.
"Lord Kairu!" Hughes entered and bowed to the seated man.

"It’s you?!" Kairu had not expected that the person selling potions for the past two days was one of his own.
"Yes, my lord!" Hughes sat down at Kairu's gesture.

"You know why I’ve called you, don't you?" Kairu disliked beating around the bush; his task from the Silver Rose was to obtain the formula.
"Yes, my lord. It is regarding the potion formula I possess." Hughes knew their intentions, but this worked out well; he could make a profit.

"Hmm! You are just as Euno described—a genius. So, I will not mince words: the Silver Rose wants your formula. Of course, we won't take it for nothing. The Silver Rose is willing to offer one million magic stones, 1,000 grams of ice elemental energy crystals, and 1,000 contribution points. Furthermore, the Silver Rose will record your name in our annals!" Kairu laid out the offer clearly.

"You don't have to answer immediately. I can tell you clearly: you have sold quite a few potions these past two days. Once we have a single vial, we can analyze it ourselves. The Silver Rose specializes in potions; identifying the ingredients is only a matter of time." Kairu knew what Hughes was thinking—everyone wanted a benefit.

"Very well, here is the formula for the natural potion!" Hughes handed it over. He admitted Kairu was right; such a large organization could easily reverse-engineer it. Besides, the offer was generous, especially the 1,000 grams of energy crystals, which he desperately needed.

"Excellent!" Seeing Hughes hand over the prepared formula, Kairu knew Hughes had never intended to refuse. "Let us sign the contract." Kairu didn't take the formula yet, opting for the contract first; the Silver Rose would not act like scoundrels over such a matter.

"Agreed!" The contract was signed, the formula handed over, and Kairu led Hughes to collect his payment. Another wizard used a device similar to an image-recording stone to store Hughes's face, though where it would be used was not Hughes's concern.

"1,000 grams!" Hughes walked back to his villa with the magic stones and energy crystals. "I wonder how far this will advance my spiritual elementalization!" He had learned that after absorbing the crystals, his bloodline would react, though the chip could not predict the exact progress.

"Let's begin!" Hughes excitedly prepared the energy conversion ritual array. These 1,000 grams could at least promote him to a semi-elementalized wizard, significantly increasing his strength.

"Is that Jelin?" Hughes suddenly noticed Jelin's mark flickering.
"I’m outside your villa. Hurry and deactivate the defensive array!" Hughes heard Jelin's voice as soon as he connected to the mark.

Hughes glanced at the half-finished ritual array on the floor and hurried outside.