Chapter 18 - Avarice

Saachi's sting in Smithy had shown him that arrows were both easy and difficult to make. If it was a simple arrow, Osage wood would be cleaved into thin segments, then shaft was smoothened, arrow part would be either sharpened or made more blunt, in tail end fletchings would be made. A labour intensive work just for simple wooden arrow. If arrowhead needed metals, or fletchings needed feathers...work would increase. But if course or magic has to be used on arrows, the starting material itself would be different as Osage wood could not absorb or transmit magic.

Kylie was excellent Archer. Saachi was sure of it. That Kobo python's eye was pierced with arrow and Kylie was so far away while shooting.

So a temporary work relationship was struck between them. It was trading of skills of a hunter to few HP potions.

If the partnership worked, then we'll and good. If not, he would rather die now than later. By this way, he could go into high monster level maps without worry. He just needed to forage each map few times to get extras. This journey would make him a lot of money. It was no loss to give few potions.

Maybe he would hire few trustworthy players to safeguard him while he went foraging.... Saachi's mind was flowing everywhere. It could not be helped though. Apart from the time it took foraging, harvesting, much of the time was spent in travel, even in night, but Kylie was like a silent Budda - max presence, nil talk.

Just like that...they went till monster level 8 map and ran back. Level 8 monsters could not be handled even with bunch of level 3 players let alone two.

As soon as they entered village limits, Saachi generously paid with 4 HP potions, all the potions he had. He settled down in dormitory, logged off even before the reminder.

He had some food and drink and he rushed back into pod, within 15 minutes. He wanted to do some alchemy now, before the bonus period, also known as 1st day of game launch, ended. Who knew if higher completion rate was promotion bonus or his actual efforts?

But when he reached Alchemy trial room, he saw the strong- arming of soft squishies also known as alchemy players. First was enticement with fixed real life money aka salary, then bonuses in forms of coins. Few beauties also surrounded them as form of enticement. Look as these beauties, you can play with them or just see them often if you join our group ....

If one did not accept any or these, then threaten with real and imagined scenarios.

Few ingredients would be held in guilds' hands, so their prices would become very high. So high that this would turn into money losing business. Unless one had background or help from others to keep the cost down, one could not practice alchemy for long(True scenario).

And if they did not join the groups, the enticers, who looked more and more like those from HR, Human Resource department, would make sure that the raw materials would be sold in sky high price but the potions selling would also be disturbed, by using methods like cost cutting etc.

(False scenario. No guild or group currently had that much power).

It did not take these guilds even a full day to understand the power of consumables like potions. Their avarice knew no bounds. Saachi could not understand it. It was human tendency to desire money and power. But should it be taken from others? Can't it be like let us become rich together, I will take a bigger cut but you will be very wealthy too.

Few of these HR like people noticed a fat new sheep in Saachi and a new round of spiel started. He did not talk or listen, just straight out barged inside the alchemy trial room to pay the NPC the deposit for use of rooms. Looking at successful attempt to escape the net, others too followed the same route.

Is this the moment Saachi turned into a leader? Is this just like preview of his abilities in future?

Before entering his room, his words, "If you are interested, you can add me as your friend. I will sell raw materials at fixed market price, won't inflate them like those ... people. And if you find it difficult to sell your potions, you can sell them to me. I will pay actual market price. In other things, I can't help you much " netted him few contacts.

He did warm up with his first recipe small basic HP potion. Then he went towards difficult recipes.

As usual, he did not come out till he started lacking ingredients. When he emerged, he noticed that the 24 hour post game launch was already over. So, the completion rate was not the buff given as promotion.

What Saachi did not realise was that the wisdom, intelligence and spirit were also cornerstones in alchemy. Better the stats, better the results.

He sighed as he looked into different types of potions he had made. He had this much potions. If those alchemists believed him to sell potions, then the amount would be even more. With out the outlet for thae potions....well, he could not turn himself into warehouse owner, right?