Chương 104: Styles of Alchemy

Before I could start working on the next potion, I noticed a severe influx of messages coming to my inbox. Now that I've all but revealed my face, there's been another wave of people asking me questions and sending me offers. Truthfully, it was a hassle to read through them all, so, I opted on ignoring them. However, before I closed my DM's one message did catch my eye. [Awakener's Association Official: Ms. Raccoon, we respect your desire for privacy and understand you don't want anyone bothering you. We intend to comply with your request for seven days of peace. However, please understand that we will have to establish contact with you if only to confirm your person. If you desire, we can make sure that any pictures or information of you doesn't leak. But, we cannot allow threats that endanger the safety of civilians, please avoid doing so in the future.] [Raccoon:? I very clearly stated that it wasn't a threat in my next post.] [Awakener's Association Official: And that's why we haven't made contact yet.] [Raccoon: Oh, really?] [Awakener's Association Official: Yes.] [Raccoon: I see. (nodding raccoon icon)] [Raccoon: What info do you have on me?] [Awakener's Association Official: Ms. Raccoon, we can't just freely expose our information, please understand.] [Raccoon: Tell me!!!! (raccoon 'right now!' icon)] [Awakener's Association Official: Ms. Raccoon…] [Awakener's Association Official: I have just been given permission by the higher-ups.] [Awakener's Association Official: The information we have on you currently is: Your appearance, the name: 'Bin', your voice, your mana signature, and a estimated building in which you live in.] [Raccoon: Interesting, interesting~] [Raccoon: Am I cute?] [Awakener's Association Official:?] [Awakener's Association Official: Ms. Raccoon, I do not see what relevance this questions has.] [Raccoon: Tell me! Am I cute?] [Awakener's Association Official: Um, yes?] [Raccoon: Woohoo~! Officially certified as the cutest by the association! I should put that on my resume!] [Awakener's Association Official: …] [Raccoon: Hehe~ So, you think you know what building I live in but you don't know the apartment number~] [Awakener's Association Official: That's correct. But, we are currently getting in touch with the building owner to determine it.] [Raccoon: You don't even know my name~ And unless you get in contact with the owner, right now, you'd have to knock on each and every apartment door to find me! ~] [Awakener's Association Official: … That's correct.] [Raccoon: Think of all the annoyed tenants! People here are very cranky and hate being bothered! ~ They'll complain about you everywhere~] [Awakener's Association Official: … If it comes to it, we can bear it.] [Raccoon: Aw, but that'd be so pitiful (sad raccoon icon)] [Raccoon: So! Should I just tell you~ Should I~? Should I~?] [Awakener's Association Official: If you'd be so kind, it'd be appreciated.] [Raccoon: Oh! Then I'll tell you-!] [Awakener's Association Official: Thank you.] [Raccoon: Seven days from now! Talk to you then!] If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. Without even waiting for their reply, I closed my messages.

"Bahahaha!" I held my stomach, laughing. Those association guys are fun to mess with. They're also so very benevolent! They simply gave me the information I asked for for free! I thought I was going to have to whine a bit more. But, it's about in line with what I expected. I'd have been more surprised if they gave the name: Miles or Stella. The only thing I'm concerned about is that they know my connection to Luna. If they dare cause her trouble about it, I might actually blow everything up for real! But!

I'll assume the best for now! Hehe, I won't ask the manager mister for that potion that can explode a whole continent just yet~ Speaking of! I almost forgot the most important thing! [Bow down, peasants! It is I, the C- grade Alchemist!] Author: Raccoon I made it!!! My potions can now officially be considered C- grade by the tower! Look at it in all of its glory and beauty!!! (picture of Sweet Cheetah Potion) This is the recipe… (omitted) Tell me! Am I just the greatest(cutest) or what!?

→ [Juxtaps: So, you've finally reached this stage? What's it been? 6 months since you've started alchemy? Congratulations, this is where the fun really begins.] ↳ [BinLover: I'm just so impressive and awesome~ You're telling me it can get even more fun?] ↳ [Juxtaps: Oh, a lot more. You don't even know.] → [Love Fusion Mix Hands: Hm… Something seems different about you now for some reason…] ↳ [BinLover: How the!? (raccoon nervous darting eyes icon)] → [SlimeLube: Slime!!] → [ObsidianTier: Oh, this is interesting. You've reached the 'sprout' stage of alchemy. In six months? That puts you at #12 on the ranking of fastest gallery members to reach it. Congratulations.] ↳ [BinLover: There's a ranking? And what's sprout stage?] ↳ [ObsidianTier: Sprout stage is the stage where alchemists really get into their groove. They start using more than just plants and move onto monster byproducts as well. It's also where most start to shape their style of alchemy. I recommend reading through the 'Styles of Alchemy' post here (link) and think about it. Or, you could let your style naturally form. Yeah, there's a ranking. It's goes as follows: #1: Potions Are Easy - 15 days #2: EfficiencyLord - 1 month #3: ObsidianTier - 1 month 12 days #4: Mountain Dwelling Hermit - 1 month 20 days #5: Doctor Hazeferro - 2 months #6: Indigo Mistseeker - 2 months 8 days #7: Love Fusion Mix Hands - 3 months #8: Juxtaps - 3 months 15 days #9: Awoooooo - 3 months 20 days #10: CauldronBro - 4 months #11: Waking Sunset - 4 months 10 days And now, #12: BinLover - 5 months 24 days These are rough estimates by the way.] ↳ [BinLover: What the?? I don't even know half these people! And 15 days!??? Was this guy just doing alchemy straight out the womb!?] ↳ [Juxtaps: Pfft, yeah, the manager is a monster.] ↳ [ObsidianTier: A lot of people in here are quite busy. You'll meet them all eventually, don't worry about it. They're really friendly.] → [✪Potions Are Easy: Congratulations, you've worked hard to get to this point. Now you've finally moved out of only using flora, and have started using monster byproducts. Keep in mind, it will only get more difficult from here. Merging the properties will be harder and the materials will start to fight you for control. But, I believe you will do it. Good luck, young alchemist. I look forward to seeing how you develop.] After closing the gallery, I sat in thought for a moment. There were 21 people in the alchemist gallery including me. How many of them have I actually seen? 10 of them. And now I know the names of 6 more that I haven't seen. I wonder who the remaining 4 are.

And when will I get the chance to talk to all of them? Everyone I've seen so far seems to have some sort of specialty, even if it's hidden. I wonder what my specialty will be. Though, I guess I'll figure that out in due time. It's not like I can just think of what I'm the best at on the spot—I'm the bestest at everything after all! As for what the obsidian mister said about styles of alchemy? I'm definitely intrigued. According to him, this is where I start to lean into a specific style.

I've already used some of the free alchemy style created by Alchemy of War and seen its uses. I wonder what other styles there are and what uses they'll bring. I quickly found the post obsidian mister linked and read through it. [Common Alchemy Styles] Author: Doctor Hazeferro I paused at the post's author. This was written by one of the gallery members I just learned about—the 5th fastest to reach sprout stage. Mm… My first guess is that this guy probably focuses on healing or recovery potions, no?

Otherwise, why else would he be called a doctor. Being a doctor, this guy is probably good at explanations. He has to diagnose patients after all. Though, on the other hand, it'd be funny if this guy was an expert in something completely random. Like, Doctor Hazeferro, the expert in plush toys! Pfft. I shook my head and continued to read through the post.

[Common Alchemy Styles] Author: Doctor Hazeferro I've listed the five most common alchemy styles below: [Standard Alchemy] This is usually the style everyone begins with. It's the most basic of styles and can handle everything you throw at it adequately. I won't even explain it. Complexity: 0/5 Quality: 3/5 Speed: 3/5 Usefulness: 3/5 Reliability: 5/5"Pfft!" I spat out the sip of water I took, "What kind of info post is this!?" I coughed a few times and cleared my throat before shaking my head.

Honestly, just between you and me, I wouldn't have bothered explaining it either. But! Since I'm not the one who wrote this post, I can complain about it! This guy's star rating in my mind just dropped a little!

"Hehe." I giggled and continued to read. [Natural Alchemy] This style of alchemy relies solely on your knowledge of ingredients and letting nature run it's course. When using this style, you don't aid the materials in any way with mana, purely letting the materials react to the changes naturally. Put simply, just toss a bunch of materials into a cauldron and let them fend for themselves. If you've understood everything right, they'll work themselves into a potion.

Complexity: 5/5 Quality: 5/5 Speed: 2/5 Usefulness: 1/5 Reliability: 1/5"Huh…" That was my immediate reaction after reading it. It reminds me of the alchemy for goblins that I first used; You're letting the materials do everything themselves. The only thing the alchemist needs to have is knowledge, they need to know how a material will react when in proximity with another and also how they react in conjunction with the temperature… Basically, it's an information overload of knowledge.

The only reason I see for using this style of alchemy is if you can't use mana. Though, doctor mister listed the quality rating a 5/5. Does that mean when you use this style, only the best potions are made? If we ignore all those other low ratings, this is a great style! [Monster Alchemy] This style of alchemy seeks to bring the traits of monsters into a potion. When using this style, your potions will manifest some of the traits the monster had when it was alive.

But, beware, even after death the monster will fight back. Complexity: 4/5 Quality: 4/5 Speed: 3/5 Usefulness: 4/5 Reliability: 3/5"Eh? Isn't this what I did for the sweet cheetah potion?" I mumbled. Did I unknowingly use another style of alchemy? I figured I was just using the standard style, but, it seems I mixed in the monster style somewhere. I guess that's why it's one of the most common styles of alchemy.

"Beware…The monster will fight back?" I questioned. What's with this guy!? How is this an info post at all!? This guy's acting like he's a riddler! Why not just say, "Yeah, if you screw up, the potion will harm you.' Like! Come on! I don't want to have to decipher riddles just to know what style of alchemy to choose!

"Haah…" I sighed, continuing to read. [Free Alchemy] This style of alchemy is for creating potions on the spot. Instead of using a cauldron or other conduit to create your potions, you use your body itself. Careful, it's not the cauldron that'll get harmed, it's you. Complexity: 5/5 Quality: 4/5 Speed: 5/5 Usefulness: 5/5 Reliability: 0/5"… Why is he using such a mysterious persona… Why did obsidian mister link this post to me, does he hate me?" I mumbled.

[Duration Alchemy] This style seeks to prolong the duration of every potion. You'd rather lessen the effects of a potion than shorten the duration. Complexity: 4/5 Quality: 3/5 Speed: 1/5 Usefulness: 4/5 Reliability: 4/5"This guy gave up." I said, "This feels more like a 'Choose your character!' at the start of a game rather than an actual informative post about the different styles of alchemy." I guess, to be fair, there's no real reason for there to be basic information in the gallery.

Originally, this gallery is meant for grand alchemists, and, well, I'm not quite there yet. He probably thinks that everyone who will read the post knows what styles of alchemy there are already. Haah… Though, I did learn some things. As for whether or not I'm interested in any of these styles… Hm… Well, not really. None of them stick out to me, ya know? Well, I guess I can think about it more over time. For now… I turned my attention to the notebook. I have recipes to create and potions to make.