Chapter 502: Curative


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    The White Stag.


    Inside the dimly lit room of the tavern, Adam stood hunched over a wooden table cluttered with all sorts of tools and apparatuses.


    The room was filled with the mixture of the scent of herbs and the acrid aroma of alchemic reagents.


    Adam had dark circles under his eyes as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a trembling hand. Before himy a cauldron that was bubbling with a vibrant green liquid.


    He carefully measured out a pinch of nightshade powder, his movements were deliberate and precise despite the weariness that had umted in him for days.


    An ominous hiss sounded as the nightshade powder came in contact with the surface of the green solution. The liquid inside churned and gradually turned to a sickly ck.


    Adam''s heart sank as the foul odor of failure filled the room once again.


    "DAMN IT!!" He roared as he picked up the cauldron and smashed it against the wall.


    The liquid inside spilled out and spread in all directions. The ces it touched were instantly decayed. The cauldron, however, remained intact.


    With bloodshot eyes, he watched as the solution slowly dissolved into nothingness.


    It had been nearly two weeks since Gore had gathered all the mercenaries and Magi in town, telling them about the n toy siege to the Howlett Estate.


    After disclosing the fact that he was a Herbalist and that he could concoct arge batch of Potion of Explosion, Gore instantly changed his mind.


    A Herbalist was a person who was not only an expert in the field of medicine, but also someone who had the capability of changing the tides of war.


    The potions they could concoct were not only limited to curing people. They could also be used to hurt others.


    Specifically, the Potion of Explosion!


    Once Gore learned that Adam was able to concoct arge batch of this potion, his attitude toward him changed. He knew that allowing the youth to brew this potion would greatly aid him in the battle against the wolves.


    Thus, after some thought, he allowed Adam an additional week to finish preparing the potions.


    Two weeks was more than enough time to arm the dozens of people with the Potions of Explosions. Adam was never worried about that. In fact, he had already finished concocting those potions.


    However, he still hadn''t managed to sessfully brew the other potion that he had been working on. If he failed to do so, his ns would be useless. A lot was at stake.


    Adam stood there defeated with his head lowered and shoulders slouched.


    Since when did I be such a failure? He admonished himself inwardly.


    Despite all the hours I put into studying the art of Herbalism...


    Despite all the memories of those experts... why am I still so miserable?


    He clenched his fists so hard that his nails dug into his palms and caused blood to seep out. Never in his life had he felt so hopeless during any experiments rted to Herbalism.


    Adam always believed that despite having the memories of the expert from the greater universe, he was truly gifted in the art of Herbalism.


    But this series of setbacks caused his confidence to slowly crumble.


    In truth, what Adam was attempting now wasn''t just a creation of a simple antidote. He was aiming to concoct something that challenged the building blocks of life itself.


    He was aiming to alter the very genes that make up a human being!


    Even if it were the most illustrious of Herbalists, it would take countless decades to even seed in attempting such a thing. Yet, Adam was trying to do the same in the span of only a month.


    Adam gritted his teeth like a madman and roared inwardly, I refuse...


    I refuse to fail!


    He took a few deep breaths and sat down on the floor. He entered a deep state of mindfulness so that he could calm his anger and ovee the negative emotions bubbling inside of him.


    I still have a day left. I can do it!


    About half an hourter, he opened his eyes again. They were calm, cold, and indifferent. He got to his feet and gathered all his notes.


    He scanned the scribbled equations and the ancient recipes in his memories. His mind raced, searching for the elusive missing ingredient that would serve as the key to oveing the poison.


    Hours passed and the candles burned lower. Day turned into night, but Adam did not relent. In the past few hours, he had tried over and over again but was met with failure at every attempt. Frustration gnawed at him, but he pushed it aside, refusing to give in.


    The ethereal light of Selene and Luna seeped in through the window, illuminating Adam''s haggard face.


    "I don''t understand..." he muttered under his breath as he paced back and forth. Suddenly, he stopped in his footsteps, a strange light twinkling in his eyes. "Wait a minute.


    "Perhaps... I''m looking at it the wrong way.


    "All this while I''ve been trying topletely destroy the toxins and ovee them, but what if I don''t have to?


    "What if... I brew a potion that simply counteracts the toxins... cancels it out..."


    Right at that moment, his gazended on his blood-stained palms. It was a result of him clenching his fists tightly in a fit of rage.


    "Blood is the key to everything..." he muttered.


    "Ha... Haha... HAHAHAHA!" He burst into a maniacalughter.


    "I''m so stupid... I''ve been looking at it the wrong way from the beginning! The answer had been in front of me all this while!"


    He walked toward the table and gathered the rarest of ingredients. He put them inside the cauldron in a mystical sequence.


    Lastly, he cut his palm and put a few drops of his own blood!


    This time, the liquid inside swirled with a soft golden glow, shimmering with a resplendent light. Adam held his breath, his eyes locked on the potion.


    Slowly, the solution settled into a clear and transparent liquid. A faint, sweet aroma filled the room-a sign of sess!


    Adam released a shaky sigh of relief. His shoulders finally rxed and he softly muttered, "The Five Elemental Codex transformed my mana into the purest form possible for my rank. This subsequently transformed my blood...


    "I should have known... Since I''m immune to most poisons, my blood has developed certain curative characteristics, making it the perfect ingredient to counteract deadly toxins!"


    He looked out the window, watching the first rays of the sun slowly piercing through the dark sky. Unbeknowst to him, the entire night had passed.


    Adam''s lips cureld up into a faint smile.


    "I did it..."