Declaration Of Extra Strike

 

I was so immersed in my work that I lost track of time. I didn’t know if the sun had risen or set. I ignored all calls and skipped meals, focusing solely on making potions. Whenever I took short breaks, Yeon Seung-yeon would quietly enter, straighten my body, and cover me with a blanket. Whenever my mana was depleted, I drank a potion. Whenever my body felt tired, I drank a potion. Even when my head ached or my eyes were strained, I drank a potion. The potions I had prepared ran out faster than expected that I had to restock twice.

 

Zero and Lim Cheong had to urgently fetch materials three times due to countless failures, and even Jin Myung had to rush over to replenish the purified water supply because all the water tanks had run out. 

 

Many people visited the workshop, excluding customers, but I couldn’t tell anyone about making the guiding potion, so I had to turn them away without much greeting. Thus, I continued my research alone in the basement, repeating experiments.

 

“Create.”

 <Unknown Potion> A potion filled with unknown power. It contains abundant natural energy, but it dissipates without being absorbed. 

“Damn it! Again!”

 

Three days ago, I succeeded in making a potion with the desired amount of energy. However, the problem lay beyond that. The potion’s energy, labeled as “

natural energy”

rather than

“guiding,”

dissipated without being absorbed by humans. 

 

According to my calculations, a power similar to

‘guiding’

was supposed to be created with these ingredients. But instead, I was faced with this unexpected variable, driving me to frustration. Even when I tried to remake it several times, I kept getting the same potion, as if it were trying to mock my limits.

 

“Arghhhhhh, this is driving me crazy.”

 

I clutched my head in frustration, walking back and forth around the workshop. This recipe was my best attempt because I had exhausted all my efforts. 

 

My foot brushed against the guiding measurement machine as I sighed deeply. I had prepared it to measure the effects of the guiding potion, but it had been gathering dust, unused.

 

For a change of pace, I grabbed the guiding measurement machine’s handle and pressed the button with the intention of using it for the first time in a long time.

 

“I wonder how much it has increased.”

 

Before leaving the center, my guiding total had been steadily increasing, so I hoped it would be much higher now. However, the machine showed no response.

 

“Huh? What’s wrong with this? Is it broken?”

 

As I tapped the machine, I recalled that I previously applied gel to my hand to allow the guiding energy to flow.

 

“Right, the gel! Is there anything here I can use as a catalyst? Gel, gel….”

 

There was no gel in the workshop, though there were similar textured materials. I didn’t want to mess around and coat my hands with slime extract just for a momentary distraction. Then, my eyes fell on the worthless failures.

 

Although I had infused various items with power within the potions, the

<Unknown Potion>

series was essentially just purified water since it couldn’t be absorbed by the body. Incredibly expensive purified water.

 

I opened one of the potions and wet my hands with it, then grasped the handle. Finally, I felt the energy being drawn from my body into the machine. The percentage slowly increased.

 10%… 25%… 69%… 

Despite the rising percentage, the gauge remained at a single bar.

 

‘This is strange. No matter what, it should have filled at least five bars… maybe the machine is broken after all.’

 

The machine began emitting warning beeps. Though it seemed about to explode, I didn’t let go, watching the steadily rising percentage. I thought I might as well see it through to the end. 

 

At 100%, the gauge that hadn’t moved a single bar suddenly made a popping sound, the screen going completely dark before lighting up brightly again.

 <5624 rp> 

I stood frozen, staring blankly at the number.

 

“Five thousand…?”

 

Recognizing the number, the thought that the machine might be broken was overshadowed. It was a hunch from a producer.

 

“Crazy, no way…….could it be…?”

 

My heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst from my chest. In a frenzy, I rushed to the workbench, flipping it over in my haste, trying to figure out how to verify the hypothesis forming in my mind. As the thought struck me, I gathered all the failed potions scattered around and, with trembling lips, spoke aloud.

 

“…Radiant Guiding!”

 

A massive system window materialized before me.

 Please select a target. (Multiple selections possible) – Nearby ??? ►Unknown Potion (1) ►Unknown Potion (2) ►Unknown Potion (3) ►Unknown Potion (4) ►Unknown Potion (5) ►Unknown Potion (6) . . 

“Holy crap.”

 

I nearly collapsed as my legs gave out. The overwhelming emotions surged through me as I realized that the path I had painstakingly walked wasn’t a dead end after all. With trembling hands, I poured all the potions into the cauldron.

 

“Radiant Guiding, put all rp into the unknown potions.”

 

Guiding lights emanated from my entire body, streaming towards the cauldron. As soon as the lights touched the potions, they vanished without a trace. The potions absorbed the guiding energy, growing brighter until the cauldron itself shone with a dazzling light. 

 

This was it. 

 

I didn’t need any tools or machinery to tell me. My seasoned intuition as a potions master told me that this potion was a success. Clutching the cauldron filled with the potion that had absorbed all my guiding energy, I muttered to myself, “Damn it, really. Eui-jin, Kang Eui-jin! You brilliant bastard. I’m a genius. I am… Window!”

 Would you like to name it? 

“No.”

 <Ultimate Guiding Potion> A potion overflowing with guiding energy. 

A cascade of windows appeared with constant notification chimes heralding my success.

 [All Espers worldwide will receive quests to obtain the Guiding Potion in succession.] [Your fame increases dramatically.] [Rewards will be given. Choose a skill.] . . . [Main Quest #4 cleared.] 

I finally understood why no potion maker had ever succeeded in creating a guiding potion. The guiding potion had to be touched by a guide’s hand.

 

‘There weren’t any potion makers who could guide, and even if there were, they wouldn’t have thought to infuse guiding into the potion. That’s why no one has succeeded until now.’

 

There was a high possibility that I wouldn’t have succeeded without Joo Ho-hyun’s skills. 

 

The first person that came to mind after my success was Han Seo-jin. As much as I wanted to personally and stylishly hand over the guiding potion to him, I couldn’t. Selling it directly carried too much risk of exposing my identity, but more importantly, such a universal potion should be released for the public good. There were countless espers and guides around the world suffering from rampage. 

 

Regrettably, I would have to sell the entire recipe for the guiding potion.

 

Of course, the process of transferring the recipe to various countries would result in a hefty and substantial reward accumulating in my bank account.

 

There were still tasks like substituting some of the expensive ingredients and standardizing the potion recipe, but just knowing the time limit was gone allowed me to breathe easier. Happily, I portioned out the golden liquid that would serve as samples.

 

“This one is for honor, this one for money, and this one for fame…”

 

***

 

I hadn’t realized it, but I had completed the quest just hours before the deadline. Knowing that I had been secluded for 13 days and still managed to clear the quest made my heart race slightly, even though it was already cleared. Having subsisted on brief naps for 13 days, I slept a full day to catch up on lost sleep.

 

When I finally emerged from my room, the world was abuzz with the death of an S-rank hunter.

 

“Vella is dead?”

 

He was one of the few hunters I knew by name, so I couldn’t hide my shock. 

 

Vella, the boss of Italy’s largest guild, was famously known for his numerous lovers—rumored to total over fifty combined with his concubines—but most notably, he was renowned for being the most beautiful hunter in the world. Possessing a powerful charm skill, he was so well-known that even young students who might not know Italy’s capital would know Vella.

 

I felt strange hearing the news about Vella’s death as I had once received a request from him across the sea.

 

Vella’s cause of death was unknown. He had died fifteen days ago, and only after a state funeral did the world learn of his passing. So focused on watching the news, something I rarely did, I didn’t even notice Seong San-ha enter the shop.

 

“It’s been quite a while. And you’re even saying hello?”

 

I turned around after feeling a tap on my shoulder to see Seong San-ha standing there.

 

“You saw the news?”

 

“Of course. I’ve been so busy with that matter that I finally managed to catch my breath and come here.”

 

“Why here to catch your breath…? Wait, you were busy because of that?”

 

Why? I couldn’t help my curiosity, but before I could ask, the shop door flew open, and Lee Cho rushed in frantically.

 

“San-ha nim! I have something urgent to tell you…”

 

He looked so busy that he didn’t even greet me. Stepping aside, I watched as Seong San-ha and Lee Cho went off to talk in a corner. Turning back to the news, a sudden notification popped up in front of my eyes.

 Ding! 「The contract with the owner has been terminated upon determining ‘Tae Jae-heon’s location’」 Condition fulfilled. 

“What…?”

 「Due to the fulfillment of the condition, all contracts made in exchange for unwavering loyalty are terminated.」 「The leash of Laelaps is returned to its original owner.」 

Startled by the notifications appearing one after another, I turned around and met the eyes of a visibly bewildered Seong San-ha.

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