chapter 118 RAVEN planning
As Raven stepped out of the Alchemy Academy, he took a deep breath, feeling a rare sense of satisfaction. The weight of market competition, guild interference, and greedy players no longer burdened him. Why? Because he had already won.
The five forbidden pages he had handed to Varian ensured that.
Each of those pages contained powerful, long-lost alchemical knowledge, things no ordinary player could hope to obtain. Unlike the simple Poison Resistance Potions that every guild was scrambling for, these contained the secrets of high-level alchemy.
He chuckled to himself, his footsteps slow and relaxed. "Let them fight over scraps. I have the whole feast waiting for me
Raven leaned against the stone pillars of the Alchemy Academy, watching the crowd of players bustling through the city streets. Most of them were still clueless about how valuable alchemy could be. The majority struggled with basic healing potions, while some were still grinding materials just to level up their skills.
But he? He had already surpassed them all.
The forbidden pages Varian had decoded weren't just rare—they were impossible to find in normal gameplay. Even top-tier players from his past life had barely scratched the surface of their contents. Alchemy Grandmasters in major guilds would have killed for just a single page.
And he had five.
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Why This Knowledge Is Overpowered
Alchemy in Mortal Online wasn't just about mixing ingredients like a generic crafting system. True alchemy involved ancient techniques, powerful catalysts, and secret rituals—the kind of knowledge that had been lost for centuries within the game's lore.
Each forbidden page contained secrets that would revolutionize alchemy. They weren't just new potion recipes—they were groundbreaking discoveries that could reshape how potions were made.
Normal players? They needed months of research just to unlock one advanced formula.
Guilds? Even if they hired NPC alchemists, they would be stuck with basic recipes until their reputation improved.
Raven? With Varian decoding these pages for him, he was unlocking forbidden alchemy that no one else even knew existed.
Simply put—he was playing a completely different game.
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The Reality of the Market—A Rigged Game
Raven had always known that the game's economy was stacked against solo players. Big guilds monopolized crafting professions, controlled the flow of potions, and bullied smaller players out of business.
That's why, in his past life, he never stood a chance in alchemy.
But now?
Now, he had a cheat code.
While others had to spend fortunes gathering materials for mid-level potions, Raven already had blueprints for high-level alchemy.
While guilds fought over poison resistance potions, he was about to introduce a completely new class of elixirs.
While everyone else thought he was just a potion seller, they had no idea he was about to break the market.
"Let them waste time fighting over scraps," he thought, a smirk playing on his lips. "By the time they realize what's happening, I'll already be ten steps ahead."
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The Knowledge Gap—Why No One Can Compete
Even if someone somehow managed to level up alchemy as fast as him, they would still never catch up.
Why?
Because they didn't have the designs.
In Mortal Online, alchemy designs weren't just recipes you could learn through experience. They were physical objects, often hidden in dungeons, ruins, or rare NPC rewards.
Most of them were either lost, locked behind insane difficulty quests, or already controlled by high-level guilds.
And the forbidden pages?
They were on an entirely different level.
Without them, even the most skilled alchemist in the game would be nothing compared to what Raven could achieve.
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Raven's Smug Confidence—Untouchable in Alchemy
As he walked away from the Alchemy Academy, Raven chuckled to himself.
Even if guilds found out about the forbidden pages, even if they tried to steal his market, they would never be able to replicate his success.
Because alchemy wasn't just about making potions.
It was about knowledge.
And right now, he was the only one who had it.
Most players in Mortal Online see alchemy as just another crafting profession—one that allows them to mass-produce healing or resistance potions for quick sales. They focus on efficiency, trying to churn out as many potions as possible to flood the market and make small but consistent profits. However, Raven isn't playing the same game as them. He isn't just another alchemist trying to carve out a space in a crowded marketplace; he is actively shaping the industry itself. With the knowledge he has obtained from the forbidden pages and the support of Varian, he is not simply brewing potions—he is controlling the entire supply chain, market structure, and innovation in a way that ensures no competitor can ever stand on equal footing with him.
While other alchemists are still experimenting with basic recipes and trying to perfect commonly available potions, Raven is already working on rare, high-tier brews that no one else even knows exist. His focus is not on quantity but quality and exclusivity. Thanks to the forbidden pages, he has access to lost and forbidden alchemical formulas that offer unique effects beyond traditional healing or resistance. These potions go beyond simple HP restoration—they can alter the course of battles, grant game-changing buffs, and even manipulate enemy weaknesses. No matter how skilled or resourceful other alchemists become, they will always be playing catch-up, lacking the knowledge that gives Raven an insurmountable edge.
Beyond crafting powerful potions, Raven understands that true dominance comes from controlling the supply and demand. Instead of selling potions in bulk like every other alchemist, he can create artificial scarcity, ensuring that only those he chooses to supply will have access to his most powerful brews. This allows him to dictate market prices, keeping demand high while ensuring that competitors struggle to find alternative sources. By selectively selling to certain players or guilds, Raven can manipulate power dynamics, forcing key figures in Mortal Online to rely on him rather than on mass-market solutions. If a rival guild becomes too powerful, he can cut off their supply, weakening them before a major war. Conversely, if a rising guild offers him a strategic advantage, he can provide them with exclusive potions that give them an edge over their enemies.
Raven's influence extends beyond the battlefield. Unlike other alchemists who only focus on combat-related potions, he understands that alchemy has far more applications than simple fighting. Potions that enhance stealth, disguise, or charm effects could become invaluable to spies, assassins, and rogue factions. Brews that boost crafting efficiency or gathering speed could make him indispensable to merchants and economic players. Even experience-boosting elixirs could create an entirely new market, ensuring that high-level players and guild leaders depend on him to accelerate their progress. This means that his customer base extends far beyond just PvP fighters—he can control traders, thieves, informants, and even large-scale guild economies.
As Mortal Online progresses, superguilds will quickly realize that standard potions are not enough to maintain dominance. While they can throw money and resources at the problem, none of them will be able to replicate Raven's formulas, meaning they will eventually have to buy from him or ally with him. This gives him unprecedented influence over guild conflicts, effectively making him a silent kingmaker behind the scenes. If a war breaks out between two top-tier guilds, whoever Raven supplies will hold the advantage, making his alchemy not just a business but a weapon of war.
Even if other alchemists try to compete, they face three critical challenges. First, they lack the knowledge—without the forbidden alchemy pages, they will never be able to create the same high-level potions Raven is producing. Second, they lack access to rare ingredients—Raven can monopolize key resources, ensuring that even if others know a recipe, they cannot mass-produce it. Finally, they lack the foresight—while other alchemists are focused on short-term profits, Raven is playing a long-term game, ensuring that he controls not just potion sales but the power balance within the game itself.
Ultimately, Raven isn't just selling potions—he is selling power. And as long as he holds that power, the rest of the world will have no choice but to play by his rules.