Gurgle—
Gurgle—
As magic power was once again infused into the alchemical solution, the once-clear liquid rapidly turned murky before bubbling violently, resembling a pot of boiling water.
Lyle's expression changed. Without hesitation, he flung the waterskin containing the alchemical solution into the air.
Boom!
The waterskin exploded midair, sending a shockwave through the forest. The deafening blast startled a flock of birds, which took to the sky in panic, their frantic chirping filling the air.
A Few Hundred ters Away—
Deep within the dense forest, a hobgoblin carrying a woven basket on his back stiffened at the sudden noise. He turned toward his companion, another large goblin, both of them halting instinctively.
"W-what was that...?" the first goblin stamred, his wary eyes darting around.
The second goblin also tensed, staring in the direction of the explosion. "It wasn't far from here."
Their leader, a smaller but sharper goblin nad Agu, lifted his gaze toward the sky, his sharp ears twitching. "That sound didn't co from a monster or a beast... It must be that human."
Excitent flickered in Agu's eyes. "Hurry up!"
The two large goblins exchanged uneasy glances, clearly worried but ultimately resigned. Without another word, they followed after Agu.
Sowhere Else in the Forest—
"Huff... Huff..."
A small Barghest panted heavily, its black fur covered in dirt, twigs, and dried leaves. Its exhausted body bore fresh scratches from running through the underbrush, and its trembling limbs were proof of its fatigue.
Then, its ears twitched.
A sound—an explosion, not far away.
The dim light in its eyes suddenly reignited with hope.
The scent of the human it had been tracking had long since faded in the thick, chaotic slls of the forest. At first, its keen nose could follow his trail, but as ti passed and the distance grew, even its sharp senses had failed.
But now—this loud noise had given it a direction again.
The small Barghest's body swayed as it took another step, determination flashing in its eyes. It didn't understand why it insisted on following that terrifying existence.
It only knew one thing—without its parents, it couldn't survive in this brutal forest.
Finding the protection of a stronger being was the most fundantal law of survival.
Back at the Site of the Explosion—
Leaves rustled as remnants of the waterskin and alchemical liquid scattered onto the ground.
"AAAHH!!"
The hobgoblin, Mukua, shrieked in terror, instinctively curling up on the ground with his hands over his head. His entire body trembled, his green skin paling from fear.
Yet, despite his panic, the half-eaten roasted rabbit in his mouth remained firmly clamped between his teeth.
Lyle ignored Mukua's reaction. His sharp gaze swept across the remains of the shredded waterskin, his brow furrowing.
"It couldn't withstand the magic infusion?"
"So... five units of magic power is the limit."
His mind replayed the process of injecting magic into the solution. The reaction was similar to what had happened when he experinted with his iron sword before.
The problem wasn't just the amount of magic power—it was the materials.
The Spiders he had been using for alchemy were a common species found in the outer parts of the forest. They were only dangerous due to their numbers and their tendency to swarm, not because they were particularly strong.
Given their low level, their venom sacs weren't exactly high-grade alchemical materials.
If alchemists rely on herbs, their combinations, and precise asurents to create potions... then alchemy relies entirely on materials!
Compared to the vast and complex knowledge required for herbalism, alchemy was far simpler—everything depended on the properties of the materials used. That was why Lyle had chosen to focus on alchemy over traditional potion-making.
His eyes burned with excitent.
If the venom sacs of Spiders could be used, what about the parts of other magical creatures?
Of course, not everything was usable. For example, he had collected the bone-chain remains of the Barghests he had slain earlier. While they were valuable magical materials, they couldn't be turned into alchemical solutions—at least, not with his current abilities.
Lyle knew that in both YGGDRASIL and this world, potions weren't limited to simple healing effects.
There were also potions that granted special abilities and stat boosts—like Lesser Strength Enhancent and Lesser Agility Enhancent.
And in YGGDRASIL, players specializing in the Pharmacist class could advance into high-tier specialized professions, allowing them to craft potions imbued with magic as strong as sixth-tier spells.
Alchemy had its own specialized branches as well.
Lyle's gaze shifted back to the ruined waterskin. He wasn't disappointed—on the contrary, he was intrigued.
Originally, he had considered his Magic Swordsman class to be nothing more than a way to improve his stats, since the magic aspect seed lackluster.
Even the skill Magic Slash was just a ranged attack that enhanced his sword swings.
But now, he was discovering sothing far more interesting.
The passive skill Magic Infusion, which he had dismissed as a re support ability, had surprising potential.
His thoughts settled.
He turned toward Mukua, who was still huddled in the grass, clutching his rabbit at as if his life depended on it.
"You finished eating?"
At the sound of Lyle's calm voice, Mukua cautiously lifted his head, his fearful eyes darting around as he processed the situation. Realizing that the explosion had co from Lyle's experint, he let out a shaky breath.
He knew that the human before him—powerful beyond reason—often perford strange experints that he couldn't begin to understand.
"Y-yes... done..."
Mukua hesitated, then asked tentatively, "L-lord... human... are we moving out again?"
Normally, by this ti, they would have set out to hunt magical beasts or track down lower-ranking goblins.
Lyle nodded, gripping his sword as he stepped toward Mukua. His expression was unreadable, but there was a faint glint of sothing darker in his eyes.
Mukua didn't notice the subtle shift in Lyle's deanor—his mind was too occupied with other concerns.
Besides, with his legs broken, he couldn't move on his own anyway. Lyle had been carrying him from place to place, so there was no need for him to worry.
But—
Just as Lyle took another step forward, he suddenly stopped.
His body tensed. His sharp gaze flicked toward the dense undergrowth beyond the ridge.
Rustle—
Crunch—
Leaves shifted, branches snapped, and footsteps crunched against the forest floor.
Lyle's ears twitched slightly.
Two dium-sized creatures approaching... no, three.
One was much smaller—the sound of its movents was being drowned out by the others.
His ti in the forest had sharpened his senses more than he had realized. Or perhaps it was just his growing power, enhancing his perception.
A smirk ford on his lips.
"Interesting."
Over the past few weeks, he had slaughtered so many goblins and magical beasts that many creatures had started to avoid him altogether.
Even poisonous insects, which had been a constant nuisance at the start, no longer approached him.
This was the first ti in half a month that anything had dared to co toward him voluntarily.
He didn't have to wait long.
The undergrowth rustled, branches parted—
And then, a small hobgoblin, barely the size of a human child, cautiously peeked through the foliage.
The mont its gaze t Lyle's—
Its body stiffened in terror. A strangled sound escaped its throat:
"F-foun—!"
"Agu!"
From behind, another voice rang out—a mix of shock, fear, and complex emotions.
The small goblin, Agu, snapped his head toward the familiar voice.
The fear in his eyes wavered for a mont before he hesitantly whispered, "Mukua... brother?"
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