Chapter 67 : Brewing shadows
Noah sat in his dimly lit dorm, the mana crystals from the tournament glinting faintly in the soft light. He turned one over in his fingers, the faint hum of energy within soothing in its consistency. The victory had been satisfying, but the aftermath left him restless.
For months, his sole focus had been on growing stronger—killing monsters, leveling up, refining his abilities. It was all necessary, but there was a nagging hollowness to the monotony of it. He needed something else, something to occupy his mind and broaden his understanding of this world.
"A hobby," he mused aloud, his voice breaking the silence. The idea seemed absurd at first. In his previous life, survival had left no room for trivial pursuits, and even now, his goal of conquest consumed him. But he was not naïve—this world was far more intricate than the battlefield of monsters and blood he was accustomed to.
His thoughts turned to potion-making. It was a craft that offered practical benefits while also satisfying his desire to learn. Unlike others, who needed strengthening potions to enhance their abilities, his [Vampire Bloodline] handled regeneration and fortification naturally. But potions offered possibilities beyond mere strength—poisons, antidotes, and even concoctions to obscure or manipulate perception.
"Potioning it is," Noah decided, a small smirk playing on his lips. "If nothing else, it'll be amusing to watch people underestimate me further."
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The next day, Noah found himself in the academy's alchemy lab. The room was a clutter of glass beakers, bubbling cauldrons, and shelves lined with ingredients of every color and texture imaginable. The acrid scent of herbs and chemicals filled the air, making it both stifling and oddly comforting.
A few students were already there, chatting as they measured ingredients. Noah ignored them, instead heading straight for the shelves. His eyes scanned the labels, his mind already sorting through potential combinations.
He picked up a beginner's alchemy book, flipping through its pages with a sharp eye. The basics were simple—strengthening potions, minor healing draughts, mana restoratives. None of it particularly useful to him.
"I'll need to think outside the box," he thought. " If I'm going to waste time on this, it might as well be worth it."
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As he worked, Noah's thoughts turned to Darius. The hunter's interest in him was becoming a problem. While Noah had successfully concealed his true level during the tournament, he knew Darius wasn't a fool. The man's gaze was sharp, too sharp to ignore.
Noah didn't know Darius's level or the extent of his abilities, and that uncertainty annoyed him. But power wasn't the only way to keep someone in check.
"There are other levers to pull," Noah mused, carefully measuring out powdered ginseng. "Everyone has weaknesses. I just need to find his."
He considered the possibilities. Darius had a reputation for being a staunch protector of humanity, a hunter who'd fought against the dark forces threatening the balance of this modern world. Perhaps his sense of duty could be exploited.
Or maybe it was something more personal. A family, a past failure, a secret hidden beneath his unyielding facade. Whatever it was, Noah would uncover it.
"Knowledge is a weapon," he reminded himself. "And in this world, I intend to be armed to the teeth."
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Back in the lab, Noah's experiments grew increasingly unconventional. While other students focused on simple recipes, he began crafting potions that blurred the line between medicine and weaponry.
His first successful creation was a paralytic toxin, a pale green liquid that caused temporary numbness when ingested or absorbed through the skin. It wasn't lethal, but it was effective enough to turn the tide in a fight.
Next, he attempted a smoke potion—a concoction that, when shattered, released a dense, obscuring fog. The formula was tricky, requiring precise measurements of sulfur and ground nightshade, but after several failed attempts, he managed to create a batch.
"This is more like it," Noah thought, holding the vial up to the light.
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As weeks passed, Noah's skills in alchemy improved. His dorm room began to resemble a miniature lab, with shelves of ingredients and a makeshift workstation in the corner. The mana crystals he'd won in the tournament were slowly converted into elixirs and experimental potions, each one adding to his growing arsenal.
At the same time, he continued his covert investigation into Darius. While he'd yet to uncover anything concrete, he took every opportunity to observe the hunter, noting his routines, habits, and interactions.
"He's watching me," Noah realized. "But that means I'm watching him too."
The game between them was one of subtlety and patience, and Noah had no intention of losing.
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One evening, Noah ventured into a nearby forest to test his new creations. The smoke potion worked perfectly, shrouding the area in a dense fog that even his enhanced senses struggled to penetrate. The paralytic toxin was equally effective, immobilizing a small wolf-like creature with a single dose.
As he stood over the subdued beast, a rare flicker of satisfaction crossed his face.
"This world is filled with challenges," he thought. "Monsters, rival classes, ancient bloodlines… I'll face them all. But first, I'll need to ensure that no one—not Darius, not anyone—has the power to control me."
With that, he turned back toward the academy, the faint glow of his crimson eyes cutting through the night. In the shadows, he continued to grow stronger, his plans unfolding like a web around those who dared to stand in his way.