Chapter 25: The Red Pill: A Breakthrough and the Weight of Choices
As Ash and Robin step into the market building, a window pops up in front of them, startling both of them with its sudden appearance.
Do you want to trade using the text feature of the market-building?
Or
Trade with both parties' physical presence (extra mana charge because physical presence costs mana from the market-building, and recovering mana is necessary).
Ash and Robin exchange a brief glance before selecting option 1. With that choice made, they begin to browse the market-building's trading platform. Their eyes settle on the pill category, where various pills and their descriptions appear in front of them. Ash's gaze sharpens as he spots some intriguing pills in the trading section.
Recovery Pill (consumable resource)
Status: Average (pill)
Ability: Helps to recover mana instantly after taking, highly useful for level 0 persons, gives 100% mana recovery instantly, and useful for level 1 persons, giving 60% recovery in a minute.
Level: 1
Description: Made by a level 1 alchemist.
Price: 10 (mana points)
Healing Pill (consumable resource)
Status: Average (pill)
Ability: Helps to heal a person from injury quickly.
Level: 1
Description: Made by a level 1 alchemist.
Price: 30 (mana points)
Seeing the recovery and healing pills, Ash ponders buying the healing pill for Ram, while the recovery pill might prove invaluable in a battle. But as his thoughts shift to his finances, reality crashes down on him. He only has 62 mana points in total—50 already earmarked for the red pill, leaving him with a mere 12 mana points for other purchases.
A sigh escapes him, his mind flashing back to the poverty he had known before transmigrating. It's as though that same gnawing sensation has found its way into this world, too. After a quiet moment, Ash mentally rallies himself. "I will never be poor again," he vows silently, determined. His first goal in this new world is to build the strongest altar city in Eldros—one that no one has ever seen before.
Determined, Ash searches for the red pill in the pill search column. A few moments later, his eyes lock onto it, and he quickly cross-checks the pill's status.
Red Pill (consumable resource)
Status: Good (pill)
Ability: 99% breakthrough chance from level 0 to level 1.
Level: 1
Description: Made by a level 2 alchemist for breaking through from level 0 to level 1 while teaching his student about making pills.
Price: 50 (mana points)
Without hesitation, Ash buys the red pill for Evan. Once that's done, both Ash and Robin search for other useful items under 12 mana points, but they come up empty-handed.
As they exit the market building, Ash's face betrays his frustration. His mood is dark, and it's clear to anyone who looks at him: he feels like he's been deprived of the resources he needs. "All useful items are life-saving items in this dangerous world," he reminds himself, though the thought does little to lift his spirits.
But Robin's encouraging words bring a flicker of light to Ash's heart. "Later," he thinks. "Once I've earned more mana points, I'll buy everything I need."
They meet Ram near the market building entrance. The older man stands there, looking as though he's been waiting for them. Ash greets him, his voice tinged with concern.
"How is Evan's mana refining going?"
"My lord, Evan is doing better. I think he only needs a pill, and after that, Evan's upgrade will be complete.", Ram said with smile on his face.
Ash: "Good."
He pauses for a moment before adding, "Let's go meet with Evan and deliver the red pill for his breakthrough."
Minutes later, Ash enters the altar room, his footsteps soft on the floor. He walks over to Evan, handing him the red pill.
"Best of luck with your level upgrade," Ash says, his voice steady, though his heart is heavy with the responsibility he feels for this young man.
Evan: "Thank you, my lord. I will always remember your kindness."
Ash nods, trying to mask the pride swelling in his chest. He then glances at Evan's status. A window pops up before his eyes.
Name: Evan (altar subject)
Age: 18
Status: Healthy
Abilities: None
Level: 0 (98/100 mana mist level 0)
Loyalty: 85
Weapon: None
Ash: "I've placed your axe and shield near the exit door of the altar. After the level upgrade, grab your weapon from there."
Evan: "Okay, my lord."
Ash leaves the altar room, knowing Evan needs a quiet place to focus on his upgrade.
As he walks out, Ash reflects on Evan—his first subordinate, his junior brother. A sense of deep satisfaction fills him as he thinks of the role he plays in Evan's growth.
He meets Ram and Robin again, both of them buzzing with a mix of excitement and nervousness. "Why are you so nervous and excited?" Ash asks, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
He learns that it's Evan's level upgrade that has them both worked up. Ash reassures them.
"Don't worry. I gave him a red pill with a 99% breakthrough chance from level 0 to level 1."
Before the conversation can continue, a sudden window pops up in front of Ash.
Time left before monster attacks: 7 hr. 30 min
Ash's mind shifts gears. He quickly relays the information to Ram and Robin, instructing Ram to go to the mana tree to heal his injury and prepare for the upcoming battle. Evan's upgrade, he believes, will be completed before the monsters arrive—and that's a small relief in this war-torn world.
Ash and Robin leave the city to inspect and maintain the pit traps.
Fifteen minutes later, they've checked all the traps and are now busy constructing new ones to defend against the incoming monsters. They also fix a few existing traps for hunting.
Ash decides to check his wood supply, speaking the words aloud.
"Status window."
A window appears before him.
City: Nexus City
Ability: Territory defense doubled
Description: In the event of city defense, all attack power and defense power of people and buildings become double.
Altar level: 0
Upgrade requirement: (woods * 1000, stone * 250, 50 * mana core (level 0))
Production: Mist mana level 0 * 10 per day
Area: 625 square meters
Status: Very small village
Mana (money): 12
Tax (from market & city): 0 * mana-mist level
Building: Guide mark * 1 (active), Market (5 free trades per day)
Blueprint: Low grade house (stones * 100, woods * 25)
Warehouse: Wood * 39, Rabbit monster hide level 0 * 11, Rabbit monster hide level 1 * 1, Stone * 10
Population: 4
Specialty: Mana tree (produces level 0 mana * 4 per day)
Resource point: Stone Mountain level 1 (310 * mined / 1000 all stone mineable in new mine)
Attack power level: 0 (925/1000)
Description: City's power level to attack enemies
Defense power level: 0 (6000/10000)
Description: City's defense power level against enemies
Seeing how little wood he has; Ash decides to use all of it for pit creation. Monster attacks are growing fiercer with each successful defense, and he needs to be ready.
"Robin, dig the soil," Ash orders, and he begins sharpening the wood for the traps.
For the next two hours, Ash and Robin work tirelessly. Robin digs, and Ash sharpens. They continue in silence, the weight of their task pressing down on them. An hour later, Ash completes the pit. He and Robin place it carefully into the soil, working with practiced efficiency.
Time left before monster attacks: 4 hr. 05 min
After returning to Nexus City and resting for exactly 10 minutes, Ash begins practicing with his knife while Robin does push-ups nearby. Ash watches him for a moment before deciding to check Robin's status. A new window appears.
Name: Robin (altar subject)
Age: 48
Status: Healthy
Abilities: None
Level: 2 (10/100 mana mist level 2)
Loyalty: 45
Ash nods to himself. Robin's loyalty has increased, and Ash can feel it, a bond growing between them.
In the back of his mind, Ash begins to wonder how he can level up the altar more quickly. He knows he needs to create a lot of mana mist, but with little money and resources, he can't make the progress he needs. The mana tree is his only trump card—but it's still in its infancy. He can't rely on it just yet.