Ethereal Bliss of a High-Grade Potion

Joo-Hee looked at Hyun-Woo's collapsed form, with degrading and degenerating eyes.

'You had this coming... well, I made sure to hit your upper cervical spine just right,' she thought, bittersweet satisfaction lacing every word.

Ensuring the fire mage wouldn't remember the incident clearly, Joo-Hee let a wry smile slip before continuing.

Joo-Hee turned her focus to the open wounds, she activated [Verdant Growth] to clear out the last remnants of the tendrils she'd left earlier.

With Hyun-Woo's mother being a high-ranking mage, there was no room for evidence; any trace of lingering mana could mean a mountain of trouble later on.

Switching to [Healing Touch], she began smoothing the bruised area of her neck and closing the wounds with careful precision.

She noticed Hyun-Woo's fingers twitching from the pain, even in her unconscious state.

But Joo-Hee remained indifferent, mechanically working to restore what was damaged, one tear at a time.

After a few focused minutes, her work was done.

Joo-Hee leaned in, whispering almost inaudibly, "Sleep tight, Hyun-Woo. You've still got a healing debt to settle later."

She straightened up, casting one last look at the now-healed mage, knowing that she'd walked a fine line today—but the risk was worth every moment, he guessed.

She didn't rush to tell Kang Ho she was finished.

Instead, she eyed the high-grade mana recovery potion, savoring the anticipation.

'If I don't drink it now, it might get taken back.'

It wasn't every day she'd get a chance to taste one of these—especially given she didn't have an inventory system like Jin-Woo's to stash it away secretly.

Rumors on the forums had teased her about high-grade potions.

Unlike the bitter, medicinal taste of low-grade potions, these were supposed to be divine, silky smooth, with a flavor to savor.

Joo-Hee gulped while unscrewing the lid and took a careful whiff.

Instantly, the potent fragrance hit her, and she felt her mana gently swirling back to life, just from the aroma.

"This is insane… even the smell is addictive," she muttered, bringing the bottle closer, her eyes wide with wonder.

"If this tastes even half as good as it smells…"

With a single, eager gulp, Joo-Hee tasted the potion, her eyes widening in genuine surprise.

The metallic liquid coated her mouth with a silky, ethereal sweetness, cascading over her taste buds like nothing she'd tasted before.

There was no bitterness, only a perfect balance of warmth and coolness, like tasting pure energy refined to perfection.

Each sip seemed to melt and spread through her, leaving behind a soft, shimmering aftertaste that lingered on her tongue.

Leaving her in a haze of bliss, a rare look of pure elation spreading across her face as she polished off the potion in a few indulgent sips.

_______________________

[ You have completely recovered your mana. ]

...

[ Due to consumption of a high-grade recovery potion, you have gained +2 Magic Power. ]

_______________________

Seeing the notification of her magic power increase, Joo-Hee nearly choked in surprise.

'I'm gaining stats? In a few sips at that.'

She couldn't believe it.

The bottle was still half-full, and with each drop, she could feel mana flooding her system, like her channels were being gently purified, each pathway of energy feeling more refined than before.

But before she could continue, a voice broke through her concentration.

Kang Ho had arrived, asking, "How's Hyun-Woo's condition?"

Joo-Hee composed herself, turning with a calm expression.

"I still need to check him overall, Mr. Kang, to be sure, but I've closed up most of his injuries on his calves and feet. I just need to recover my mana before continuing."

"Finally, some good news," Kang Ho nodded with a hint of relief.

"Don't worry, I'll prepare something as a token of my gratitude."

Joo-Hee's eyes brightened.

"Thank you, Mr. Kang. I'll make sure to see Hyun-Woo through to full recovery."

She then added, "And if needed, I can help with the other hunters as well."

Kang Ho smiled, clearly pleased with Joo-Hee's offer, but her thoughts were far from selfless.

'This is perfect. I might level up my Healing Touch soon,' he mused inwardly.

'For now, I should focus on increasing my mana cap. And if I keep this up…'

Her eyes gleamed with barely concealed ambition.

'My reputation will surely bloom.'

As Kang Ho walked away, Joo-Hee quickly resumed activating her [Basic Meditation], taking in the sensation of her mana overflowing.

Despite the abundance, she felt no discomfort; the mana leaked through her enlarged mana pores, acting as a natural safety valve against mana overload.

With a sense of determination, Joo-Hee decided to take a gamble.

She concentrated, subtly minimizing her mana pores, allowing her to circulate the excess energy in her body.

The goal was to rid herself of the lingering impurities from Joo-Hee's body after her death while stockpiling the overflow in her mana core nestled within her heart.

The world around her faded into a distant murmur as she meditated.

What felt like hours passed, yet only mere minutes had gone by.

She remained committed, the whispers of other hunters barely registering as she maintained her focus.

But then, just as she began to feel the rhythm of her circulation, a sudden cough escaped her.

She discreetly pressed a handkerchief to her mouth and was shocked to find black goo staining the fabric.

The system chimed in with a notification:

_______________________

[ The host has purified the mana channels by 36%. ]

[ You have gained +4 Magic Power. ]

_______________________

Joo-Hee remained focused on Hyun-Woo's body, ensuring he appeared deeply engrossed in the healing process rather than secretly absorbing the concentrated mana from the potion.

Her determination fueled her as she repeated the cycle: drinking the remaining potion, meditating, purifying her mana channels, and compressing the excess mana into her core.

With every sip, she felt the sweet, ethereal taste of the potion, revitalizing her mana like a warm embrace.

Each time she meditated, she sensed the impurities melting away, replaced by a vibrant, vital energy that coursed through her.

And her mana coiling tighter in her mana core.

As she continued, countless notifications flooded her mind, each one a reminder of her progress and power increase.

Yet, she chose to ignore them, fully immersed in her task, focused on harnessing every ounce of potential her mana pore blessing and that potion had to offer.

_______________________

[ The host has purified the mana channels by 41%. ]

[ You have gained +2 Magic Power. ]

...

[ You have gained +1 Magic Power. ]

...

[ You have gained +3 Magic Power. ]

...

[ The host has purified the mana channels by 53%. ]

[ You have gained +2 Dexterity, +4 Magic Power. ]

...

[ You have gained enough proficiency. Basic Meditation has reached Level 5. ]

...

[ The host has purified the mana channels by 65%. ]

[ You have gained +3 Dexterity, +2 Magic Power. ]

_______________________

For the final time, Joo-Hee exhaled, feeling her body become lighter than before.

Each breath she took was smoother, almost effortless, and she could now perceive mana with newfound clarity, allowing it to circulate freely within her.

What intrigued her the most was the realization that she could perform [Basic Meditation] even while standing.

Moving still posed a challenge, but this discovery felt like a breakthrough.

Joo-Hee focused on Hyun-Woo's body one last time, activating her [Healing Touch] as an experiment.

This time, the effect was remarkable—the lingering scars on Hyun-Woo's calves began to vanish, and she noticed that the mana cost for the spell had dropped to just 20 mana per use.

Her status window confirmed this improvement.

_______________________

[Sage Enlightenment System]

.

Name: Lee Joo-Hee (Jake Garcia)

Class: Sage of Eternal Leaf

Level: 3 (126/200)

HP: 190/190 | Magic: 1, 005/1, 025

.

Stats:

— Strength: 20

— Dexterity: 21

— Vitality: 19

— Magic Power: 71

— Intelligence: 33

— Wisdom: 34

.

Skills:

— Healing Touch (Skill Level 3 - 65%)

— Verdant Growth (Skill Level 5 - 21%)

— Nature's Embrace (Skill Level 4 - 68%)

— Basic Swordsmanship (Skill Level 3 - 9%)

— Basic Meditation (Skill Level 5 - 13%)

_______________________

However, a mix of satisfaction and irony washed over her.

"I see," she sighed, a wry smile lingering on her lips.

"So, I was just a poor character in the end. Who would've thought you could progress this much if you had millions of won?"

The idea of wealth and power in this world now seemed even more apparent—if only she had the resources (money).

She glanced up at the sky, a wistful smile replacing her earlier smirk. 

"Why are you such a spendthrift, like my sister, Joo-Hee?" she murmured, a touch of sadness in her voice.

For a moment, it felt like Joo-Hee was up there somewhere, laughing at her, playfully apologizing as if she could hear his thoughts.

'Sorry, Jake~.'

She shook his head, stifling a chuckle of her own.

"You'd find this funny, wouldn't you?" she muttered, that fleeting feeling of warmth mingling with her thoughts of power and ambition.