Chapter something I stopped counting

He had found the fucking tree! It had only taken two entire fucking days of searching, and the rampent slaughter of a family of giant moles, but he found it. The start of the dungeon was a giant tree, with a hollow interior that spiraled down for apparently a really long time. Jake just walked down the path collecting every mushroom he could find that looked special. Oh did he forget to mention the dozens of glowing blue mushrooms, and the rare silver or brown mushrooms. 

All of course still just labeled [Mushroom]. The mushrooms seemed infinite just like the trek ever downwards. Mile after mile step after step. Each taking him farther than the last until he stopped picking mushrooms and just started sprinting away from the boredom. Jake hadn't focused on his physical stats at all, and probably never would. Still he could admit to no small amount of joy as he sprinted down the tree dungeon. 

It felt like flying, each step carrying him so far. He felt so light, like a feather rather than a man. So he flew down the slope eventually reaching a large wooden door. In his sphere of perception the door didn't lead to anything, but the moment he touched it a notification appeared.

[Tutorial Challenge Dungeon Detected

Requirements: Must be below level 10 in any class or race. Must not have a profession. Must be in top 5% of Tutorial points]

[Mage — Level 9]

[Tutorial Points: 5323]

[Requirements to Enter Met]

[Enter Y/N]

"Yes." 

The rest of the dungeon was quite simple, a corridor with spike traps that he ran through with liberal use of his bloodline and mana shields. There were silver mushrooms that he collected as man of as possible—29—then there were 3 rooms. Each with a 3x3 grid of squares with two meter long gaps between them. At the bottom of those gaps was a necrotic acid that would probably kill him.

In the first of such rooms he had to throw mushrooms onto the squares with a snake eating a mushroom, then jump on those squares. In the next room there were mushrooms snakes, and statues of a winged snake with dozens of men, and beasts prostrating themselves. This room had a dagger, he fed the first snake mushrooms, and the flying snake his blood. The final room only had 3 marked platforms. 

Each marked with a wyvern. The Wyvern ate courage, so Jake gave it to him. Leaping onto the first platform sprinting the necrotic waters rising to meet him, he reached the second platform by the time it reached the lip of the platform. When he was on the third the water lapped at his shoes. It burned through them and he was barefoot. Then he was nofoot, the flesh at the bottom of his feet melting into bone. 

He threw himself up to the final platform, but the necrotic acid didn't stop eating. The acid spread cutting up his legs until they necrotized from the knees down. Jake just stared at them until a minute later the system chimed and they started to heal. Well, at least he did better than his cannon counterpart who nearly lost his legs on the second rather than third. He wished he just made all 3 without losing them, but Jake was just glad he got them back without having to evolve. 

Jake did not let that hold him down though simply biting his tongue and standing up. His smile turned radiant as he stepped forward into a room the felt ripped straight out of skyrim. Instead of a word wall it was a mural to the Malefic Viper that contained a small amount of his Will of the Malefic Viper skill. That washed over Jake and he stood firm.

[You have Witnessed the Will of a True Dragon

+10 Willpower]

Turning from the word wall he saw a small slightly above waist height pole straight out of Serana's chambers. At the top of that pole there was a button, one he knew that if he pressed he would be poisoned. The spike would stab up into his hand and infect him. 

Still he placed his hand onto it. The spike shot into his hand and he fought not to flinch away as the spike pierced into him and pulled away. Darkness spread through his veins like ink creating sharp lines across his arms. Then another platform rose, and on it a giant book with the stylized symbol of a little snake emblazoned on the cover. Vilastramoz, Jake's hand brushed the book and he read through the challenge notification. 

[Challenge Accepted]

[Time Remaining Untill Death: 29 Days 23 Hours 59 Minutes 58 Secconds]

[Profession: N/A → Alchemist of the Malefic Viper — Level 1]

[Alchemist of the Malefic Viper

The Alchemist of the Malefic Viper can combine natural treasures of the world to make potions and pills, transmute one material to another, and employ a slew of other mystical means to be discovered. This rare type of alchemist specializes in the concoction of poisons. From a craft classically bringing restoration and improvement, the Alchemist of the Malefic Viper brings pain, deterioration, and death. Stat bonuses per level: +2 Vit, +2 Wis, +1 Will, +1 Tough, +2 Free Points.]

[New Skills]

[Herbology(Common)

Grants knowledge of herbs found throughout the multiverse. The most numerous source of natural treasures comes in the form of herbs found throughout existence. The knowledge of plants and their effects is, therefore, essential to any alchemist. An alchemist must know what he works with in order to create his products, after all. Grants the ability to recognize herbs at a glance, and correctly Identify their properties.]

[Brew Potion(Common)

Potion brewing is the bread and butter of most alchemists. A potion can be the savior in a time of need, or that extra boost to defeat your opponent. Allows for the brewing of potions with common rarity and below. Must have suitable materials and equipment in order to create potions. Adds a minor increase to the effectiveness of created potions based on Wisdom.]

[Concoct Poison(Common)

While most focus on the aspect of giving life through their craft, others prefer to take it away. Allows for the concoction of commonrarity poisons and below. Must have suitable materials and equipment in order to create poisons. Adds a minor increase to the effectiveness of created poisons based on Wisdom.]

[Toxicology(Uncommon)

The knowledge of all that is toxic. Be able to recognize poisonous substances at a glance and correctly identify their properties. To concoct the deadliest toxins, one must know what to mix, after all.]

[Malefic Viper's Poison(Rare)

The Malefic Viper stalks its prey and needs only to strike once as venom devours its prey. Increases the potency of all crafted poisons. Grants the ability to craft a poison with a rarity above that of your Concoct Poison skill if certain conditions are met. The poison may at most be upgraded to the rarity of the Malefic Viper's Poison skill (Common → Rare). Allows poison not to lose efficacy for a short amount of time after being applied to a weapon.]

Jake smiled, and walked around his new home for a month. A bed, a bathroom with a toilet and shower, a large field of every type of plant he could need for Alchemy, with it's own small sun. A lake with pure water for Alchemy, and a large library with all the knowledge he could read.

Jake's smile turned a little manic as he sprinted over to the alchemy section. He then systematically went over everything while trying to consolidate all the skyrim alchemy knowledge. Oh, he was going to love this. The blue red and green lavenders were basically replacements for one of the components of a mana, stamina and health potions. Similar to the colored mountain flowers of skyrim.

There was a lot more mana manipulation in this world's version of Alchemy, but honestly he felt at least slightly prepared. So he tried to make a basic health potion, failed miserably and started studying again. Hours passed as he kept cycling between brewing and reading trying to improve, to do something right. It took too long until he realized something. 

His Transcendence wasn't the Alpha Stigma anymore. It was better, so much greater and he had barely touched the surface of it. Re-reading the description he realized something, it did not say he could understand any magical phenomena. It said any phenomena.

[From Omega to Alpha(Unique)

Understand the Origin of all phenomena. See it's connection to Primeval Times. See the strings of intent and truth, see karma and the threads that bind it. See the very concepts that make up this world Primal Hunter. See everything, bring it from the Origin into reality. Transcend mortal magics, and understand ever the gods powers as long as they are within your sphere of influence! 

Drawback: Emotional Trauma will result in a power boosted rampage that kills all living beings in the area. The only ways to stop a rampage are to knock out, or kill the rampager.]

So he sought out the origin of this alchemy, and understood. Quickly his levels rose, but he kept studying, kept working to understand this magic. This was what he lived for.