Chapter 14
Adam continued exploring, inspecting anything that caught his attention. He collected some herbs, all but one he had already seen.
[System Message]
Herb Identified: Nightshade Vine (Rare)
Effect: A potent poison if consumed raw. However, the vine can be used to brew powerful toxins that lower the target's strength and defense for 30 minutes.
After what felt like a few hours of harvesting, he fought three more times with the Guardians.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
3x Crystal Guardians were defeated. XP Gained: 600
Loot Dropped:
Enchanted CauldronClass ability shard5x Potion bottles15 Coppers
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Enchanted Cauldron
Rarity: Uncommon
Type: Crafting Equipment (Cauldron)
Durability: 500/500
Effect: The cauldron offers the user the ability to control temperature through Mana infusion, keeps itself clean over time, and even fills with water if infused with mana while empty.
Deciding he wanted any edge he could get, he was going to make some more salves and with his new herb a toxin to put on his blades.
He decides to start with the salves first since they are straightforward to brew, and then work on the more complex Toxin for Blades.
Adam begins by setting the Enchanted Cauldron to a low temperature for extracting the healing properties of the Healing Herb. After preparing the necessary ingredients, he fills the cauldron with water and adds the healing herb to create a simple healing salve.
Wanting to try something new before making the toxin just in case the cleaning takes a while and he doesn't want to deal with that type of cross-contamination. He wanted to try making a potion.
Looking over all the herbs he has to play with, Adam is going to put a few together and see what happens.
Healing Herb (Common)
Dullroot (Common)
Twilight Moss (Common)
Wraithcap Mushrooms (Uncommon)
What he got was interesting and might help in a tough fight.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Crafting Attempt Complete: Potion: Elixir of Focused Resilience
Ingredients Used:
Healing Herb (Common)
Dullroot (Common)
Twilight Moss (Common)
Wraithcap Mushrooms (Uncommon)
Crafting Result:
Item Created: Potion: Elixir of Focused Resilience
Rarity: Common
Effect: This potion, when consumed, enhances both mental and physical states for a short period, granting the user increased stamina recovery, enhanced focus, and slight healing.
Side Effect: Chance at Temporary hallucinations or mild visual distortions for the first 5 minutes after consumption, which can make the user feel a bit disoriented, but the effects wear off quickly.
10XP
Next deciding he was going to try the same thing when making a toxin for his blades he picked out some herbs.
Nightshade Vine (Rare)Wraithcap Mushrooms (Uncommon)Moonshade Blossom (Common)
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Mana Cost: 15 Mana (due to the complex nature of combining multiple toxins with varying effects)
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
You created a Rare product.
Alchemy Level 4
Alchemy Level 5
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Crafting Attempt Complete: Toxin: Sedative Venom of Focused Weakness
Ingredients Used:
Nightshade Vine (Rare)
Wraithcap Mushrooms (Uncommon)
Moonshade Blossom (Common)
Crafting Result:
Item Created: Toxin: Sedative Venom of Focused Weakness
Stackable
Rarity: Rare
Effect: This toxin, when applied to a blade and used in combat, induces a mix of mental disorientation, physical weakness, and sedation in the target. The target's mind becomes clouded with hallucinations and a temporary sense of calm, while their strength and defense weaken drastically.
100 XP
Before going off to keep looking for a way out he decided he was going to try and access his Garden and plant some herbs he was worried about running out of roots being trapped in here.
Meditating was harder he Adam expected it to be but after an hour of trying he entered his garden space. Adam sat down cross-legged on the cold stone floor of the dungeon and closed his eyes, focusing deeply. As if a door opened in his mind, he felt a sudden shift. It was like stepping into a different world entirely.
Adam stood in the center of the garden, taking in the expanse of fertile soil around him. Though everything was calm and peaceful here, his mind was focused on the task at hand. The time dilation of this space was his greatest advantage. He needed to grow these herbs quickly—especially the Sustenance Root and Nourishment Vine, which he hoped would grow quickly in his experience you couldn't have to much food or in this case roots and vines.
He was beginning to feel the pressure of being trapped in this dungeon, and the resources he gathered here would help keep him from running out of supplies too soon. He really felt bad for not being able to keep his promises to the villagers and would try to make it up to everyone when he got back, focusing on his task again he continued. Adam decided to plant a mix of everything but put extra focus on the Sustenance Root and Nourishment Vine to get a solid foundation for his nutrition. Adam knelt down and began to carefully plant each herb in neat rows. The soil seemed to respond to his touch, becoming soft and yielding as he dug small holes for each seed. His hands worked quickly, placing each herb carefully into the ground.
Soon Adam received a notification.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Skill Learned:
Cultivation (Passive) Level 1
Effect: Allows the user to more efficiently plant and grow herbs and other plants. The Earth actively helps you. Reduces time required for plants and care needed to take care of them per level.
Skills:
Inspect (Active) Level 2
Taunt (Active) Level 2
Small Blades (Passive) Level 4
First Aid (Passive) Level 2
Negotiation (Passive) Level 2
Battle Instincts (Passive) Level 3
Dodge (Active) Level 1
Cultivation (Passive) Level 1
Adam's eyes widened as he realized the potential of this new skill. The time he spent here in his Garden Space would be even more productive. Adam stood up and wiped his brow, admiring the small rows of freshly planted herbs. There was still something tranquil about this space, even in the face of danger. He could feel a slight hum of energy beneath the soil, as if the garden was already starting to respond to what he had planted.
Adam took a deep breath as he stepped out of the Garden Space He scanned the area to ensure there were no threats nearby before focusing on the task ahead. Pulling out the Enchanted Cauldron, he made sure it was clean of any previous toxins. After confirming it was clean, he channeled mana into the cauldron, filling it with water. Once he was satisfied with the water level, he infused more mana to heat it up. The cauldron responded quickly, the water beginning to boil with a soft glow emanating from its sides.
With the water heating up, Adam grabbed the mortar and pestle and placed the Luminescent Ivy on the grinding surface. The ivy leaves glowed faintly as he ground them into a fine powder. When the water was boiling, he carefully poured the boiling water into the kettle he bought and added the powder into it. The glowing ivy dissolved quickly, turning the liquid into a shimmering, silvery-blue brew. The scent was earthy, and the brew itself emitted a soft, calming aura as it continued to steep. Pulling out his crystal cup he received on his first fight in the dungeon after pouring a helping into the cup and the rest into the remaining potion bottles he checked his message.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Crafting Attempt Complete: Illuminating Tea
Ingredients Used:
Luminescent Ivy (Uncommon)
Crafting Result:
Item Created: Illuminating Tea
Stackable
Rarity: Uncommon
Effect: When consumed, this tea enhances visibility in low-light conditions for 3 Hours. The drinker gains +15% visual clarity, improving their ability to see in dim or dark environments. Chance to highlight Traps or treasures.
As the effects of the Illuminating Tea took hold, Adam felt his vision sharpen, the dim lighting of the dungeon now less of an obstacle. His surroundings came into clearer view, and he could make out details that had been dark spots just moments before. Relieved by the newfound clarity, he decided to keep moving, walking cautiously through the tunnels. Adam kept his eyes peeled for any useful resources. After some time, he spotted a plant he hadn't seen before The vibrant gold petals stood out even more in the now enhanced lighting, catching his attention. He carefully approached and identified the herb.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Herb Identified: Goldleaf Blossoms (Uncommon)
Effect: These blossoms can be used to craft a tonic that restores MP over time, as well as reduce fatigue and exhaustion.
Adam couldn't help but smile, pleased with his find. This would be useful for keeping his MP topped off during long dungeon dives. The thought of crafting aMP-restoring tonic filled him with new hope, but before he could harvest the blossoms, a deep roar echoed through the tunnel, sending a chill down his spine.
Before he could react, something hard slammed into his back. Pain shot through his body as he stumbled forward, caught completely off guard. His vision wavered for a split second as he whirled around, preparing for whatever had struck him.