settling in(chapter 2)

prevously in chapter 1

"Well, I wasn't expecting it to be easy," he sighed as he tried again with his second portion, which also failed after ten minutes. He tried again despite feeling tired, and failed again. On his next attempt, he finally succeeded as one small green liquid and one red combined and mixed together, forming a bigger bubble of red-greenish liquid, which he then placed inside the glass of water. "Oh, finally," a sweating and panting Henry said, holding a glass of water filled with green and reddish liquid inside as he smiled. "Well, this is what it's like being an alchemist. Although it's just a 1st-grade potion, it's a start," he laughed as he stared at the floating screen of his new potion.

[Name: Strength Tonic]

[Grade: 1st]

[Description: The Strength Tonic is a potent elixir crafted from the synergistic blend of Ginseng and Beetroot, two powerful plants known for their physical enhancing properties. This tonic focuses on boosting strength and endurance, making it ideal for those seeking to push their physical limits.]

[Effects: +10% muscle strength for the next 10 minutes]

[Deterioration-Rate: 33%]

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Chapter 2

However, seeing the deterioration rate on his brand new potion made him confused before he got the answer, "Right, because the materials I used were already deteriorating," he thought as he placed the liquid in the fridge. "Well, I better get some test tubes and flasks. I should also buy plants or, heck, even plant my own and have a garden of mine," he mused as he got ready to leave, which he did in just a couple of minutes, but not before glancing at the changes that occurred on his status panel. "All of that work and only a 12% increase in my alchemy level exp. Looks like it's going to be a while before I level up," he thought as he exited his new home to buy some groceries.

[Name: Henry]

[Mana: 13% (1 mana lasts for 1 minute, 1 mana can be recovered every 1 minute)]

[Class: Alchemy: lv.1 (12%)]

[Skills:

Potion-synthesis: You can synthesize two plants/materials by melting them together using mana, as long as the materials do not possess two opposing qualities, with a 19% chance of getting a second-grade potion and a 1% chance of getting a third-grade potion. Tier: 1 (33%)]

-scene change-

In the city streets, Henry, who was wearing regular normal clothes, could be seen carrying a bag of groceries. He stood 6 feet 3 and had olive skin, dark hair, and golden-orange eyes. He was currently standing outside a store with a TV showing a man wearing a black suit and a goatee as he said to the camera, "I am Iron Man," before the video cut to the news reporter talking about a genius billionaire philanthropist who built his suit of armor, which was more advanced than anything the military had ever seen, causing Henry to sigh. "Right, this world is special in its own way," he thought before he continued heading towards a plant shop.

"However, this is great for me, as this means there are many materials for my alchemy," he smiled, happy at the weird world he found himself in. "But that is all in the future. I haven't even been in this world for a day. I need to lay a foundation, and as an alchemist, my foundation is heavily influenced by materials. The more materials I have, the better potions I can make, and the more special the material, the better. Meaning from early on, I need to start gathering and making my own stuff," he pondered to himself as one of the things he bought was a planter, which he planned on using to grow his own enhanced plants by feeding them potions made out of fertilizers and manures. "With me controlling and overseeing the plant's growth, I should have higher-ranking plants ready soon," he smiled.

-scene change-

Back in his home, Henry was currently looking at the 10 planter pots he had arranged near his window. Each of the planters had a seed in it with a floating screen above it.

[Name: Lavender Seed]

[Grade: 1st]

[Description: This humble seed comes from the fragrant lavender plant, known for its calming aroma and beautiful purple flowers. To cultivate this seed, it requires a temperate climate with well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight. Adequate watering and occasional pruning are essential for its growth. Once matured, the lavender plant can be harvested for various purposes, including aromatherapy, culinary uses, and decorative arrangements.]

[Effects: 1% increase in relaxation when used in aromatherapy or consumed as tea.]

[Deterioration-Rate: 0%]

"Huh, 1% effect, because it's a seed," he mused, then chuckled before taking his small cooler fridge that he had purchased just to store his potion, as well as many other test tubes and flasks. He started by transferring his first-ever potion from the glass cup, noticing its deterioration had increased by 1%. "So even freezing it won't save it," he sighed as he placed it in his new cooler. He put on gloves as he started to prepare materials, including mulch and chemical and organic fertilizers.

These materials were, of course, used to help plants grow. He began preparing them into different portions and flasks for the new potions to be made. "This time I am actually going to try and get a second-grade potion," Henry wanted to test the 19% chance, which was why he had so many portions. He was preparing himself for failure. "Alright, 13 portions. Let's hope I get this without wasting too much material," he prayed to no particular god since he was not religious and found such notions absurd as he got rid of all distractions before he activated his MP and skill, causing the mulch and the fertilizers to glow and float.

The materials started to melt, which took longer than his first potion as the materials were solid and hard compared to actual herbs, and he felt the strain, but he didn't stop. Much to his surprise, he actually succeeded, although it was only a 1st-grade potion, as a greenish and black liquid floated in front of him. "God, that is disgusting," he gagged.

[Name: Verdant Elixir]

[Grade: 1st]

[Description: Crafted from a blend of chemical and organic fertilizers, along with the liquefied essence of mulch and infused with the mineral-rich properties of basalt rock dust, Verdant Elixir is a potent concoction designed to nourish soil and promote vibrant herb growth.]

[Effects: +9% nutrient absorption for the next 10 minutes.]

[Deterioration-Rate: 0%]

"Well, definitely not what I was hoping for," he sighed as he continued. The second attempt was a failure, but the third was a success, as was the fourth time, but they were all 1st-grade potions, which he wasn't aiming for. So he continued to create more and more until on his ninth try, he got something that surprised him.

[Name: Verdant Elixir]

[Grade: 3rd]

[Effects: +35% nutrient absorption, +40% soil fertility enhancement, +45% promotion of healthy herb growth.]

[Deterioration-Rate: 0%]

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A/N: Well, another chapter. Hopefully, you guys like what you see so far. For those who are put off by the fact that he has a tier 3 item in chapter 2, don't worry. This isn't going to be some wish fulfillment, and he will struggle. Although he won't struggle with leveling his class like Oliver did. Poor Oliver. Speaking of Oliver, he just started the arc where he comes back, so stay tuned for that.