Chapter 34: Horns (2)

Thump thump thump thump, thump.

The sound of my heart pounding.

My mind felt strangely heightened, and strength surged through my entire body.

Bzzzt! My head itches!

“Dania, I think you’re about to grow horns on your head.”

『Horns! Right. Dania’s going to grow a lot of horns soon.』

Dania was already aware that horns were beginning to sprout from her head.

“It feels like it won’t stop itching until the horns break through the outer skin. Do you know how to make them grow faster?”

『If Dania’s level goes up, the horns will grow faster!』

Oh.

So there was such a simple and clear solution.

‘Then let’s give her some Tai Yin Yang Essence.’

I had a hunch once those horns fully bloomed, something would change in me too.

The reason I saw the system message earlier, saying my “potential is stirring” as Dragonblood reacted…

It seemed to be caused by the resonance between Dania’s horns and my blood.

‘Fusion.’

White Sun Herb and Clear Public Healing Oil.

I immediately mixed the two in the <Alchemy Furnace>.

「Congratulations. <Clear Public Healing Oil> and <White Sun Herb> have been successfully fused.」

「Tai Yin Yang Essence. (太陰陽精), Lv 100」

It worked on the first try.

“This is Tai Yin Yang Essence.. It’s your first time tasting it, right?”

『Yep! Tai Yin Yang Essence! It tastes good!』

Gulp gulp.

Dania happily drank the Tai Yin Yang Essence I handed her.

“Kyuu!”

Her previously frowning face softened into a blissful smile.

Drinking the <Tai Yin Yang Essence> was a mysterious experience—like feeling hot and cold at the same time.

It must’ve let her forget about her itchy head, even if just for a moment.

FLASH!

At the same time, radiant multicolored light burst from Dania’s body.

「Elemental Dragon <Dania>’s level has increased! 101LV ▶ 102LV」

She leveled up!

『Tasty!』

Gulp gulp

She drank more.

Another flash of multicolored brilliance!

「Elemental Dragon <Dania>’s level has increased! 102LV ▶ 103LV」

Straight to Level 103!

Nice going, Dania.

You’re growing so well!

“Everyone! Come over and get something to drink!”

“Popo!”

“Chuchu?”

『Ar…ke…ron.』

The Guardians each took a long swig of <Tai Yin Yang Essence>!

“Poooh!”

“Chuchuchu!”

『Arke…ron…!』

Everyone was bursting into spontaneous exclamations of wonder.

They were all intoxicated by the Tai Yin Yang Essence.

「Guardian <Popo>’s level has increased! 107LV ▶ 108LV」

Popo’s nearly at 110LV now.

「Guardian <Chuchu>’s level has increased! 145LV ▶ 146LV」

Chuchu was racing toward 150LV.

‘Arkeron hasn’t leveled up though, maybe because his level is too high…’

Or maybe because his energy core is still damaged?

I really need to repair Arkeron’s core soon.

At least the spiritual energy seems to be stabilizing now. That’s a relief.

‘Guess I’ll take a sip too.’

Gulp gulp.

A sensation of cool freshness and warm energy rushing down my throat at once!

This uniquely refreshing warmth was just as amazing as always.

「Your mana has increased.」

「Your level has increased.」

「Your level has increased.」

Even I leveled up—by two full levels!

That brings me to Level 32.

‘If I reach Level 35, I might be able to summon the next Guardian.’

I met Chuchu and Arkeron when I hit Level 25.

A strong intuition told me that I’d be meeting the next Guardian soon.

‘I’d love to chug another one right away.’

Just thinking about the remaining Tai Yin Yang Essence made me feel like I was going to burp.

At first, I thought it was just physical bloating.

‘But it’s actually magical saturation.’

As the power of <Dragonblood> grew, I understood the reason.

And there was another issue.

‘It’s hard to reach high levels with just one kind of elixir.’

Why?

From repeatedly consuming Tai Yin Yang Essence, I’d realized something.

I was developing a resistance to it.

There was now a need to create a combination using other elixirs.

‘No need to worry for now.’

There are elixirs with relatively low resistance.

Like Ten Thousand Year Mushroom.

I’ve also got Seondo and Mandragora.

“Chuchu!”

At that moment, our Sergeant Chu came running over.

As if reading my mind, it stretched out its right hand confidently and patted its chest—bam bam!

It was a declaration: leave it all to Chuchu, it would procure the necessary elixirs and herbs.

Come to think of it, Chuchu was the one who found the Mandragora.

Since it could freely travel outside the lair, it might even be able to get its hands on another legendary elixir like that.

“You’re so reliable, Sergeant Chu!”

“Chururuu!”

When I reached out and patted Sergeant Chu’s head, it purred with a happy growl.

“But when will I be able to leave the lair?”

I wondered if Dania’s hatching might somehow create an exit out of the lair.

But there was still no exit to the outside world.

“I have to become an adult dragon to leave!”

“So that’s how it is.”

I had suspected as much when no exit appeared even after Dania hatched.

“Do you know what level you have to be to become an adult dragon?”

“Yup! Dania will molt into an adult dragon at level 500!”

I see.

That was exactly the level I had instinctively predicted.

My intuition was right on the mark.

‘To raise Dania’s level quickly, I need to increase the variety of elixirs too.’

“All right then, Dania. Can you still eat more?”

“Yup! Dania’s still hungry!”

Oh. Definitely.

That means we can level up even faster.

‘Is this the difference in potential at high-level caps?’

I had a strong feeling that it was.

Dania needs to reach level 500 to become an adult dragon.

And surely, it’ll be able to grow even beyond that.

A far higher level cap than mine—one that can’t even be compared.

That’s why, even after taking elixirs a couple of times, it doesn’t experience the kind of magical saturation I do.

“Then this time…”

Heaven & Earth Restoration Soup.

Instead of taking them all at once, rotating elixirs would help reduce resistance.

I’ll make this one delicious too!

[Kyuu! Sounds good!]

***

Ahn Jaeseong.

His victory speech sent shockwaves around the world.

“Korea’s Michelin 3-star chef Ahn Jaeseong wins the Shanghai Asia Master Chef Tournament! ‘Half the victory belongs to the Archmage.’”

“Ahn Jaeseong: ‘The Archmage’s crops were the secret to winning!’ Mentions sharing the trophy credit.”

“Shanghai Chef Tournament drug scandal… Conspiracy hidden in rival chef’s beverage exposed.”

“Drug addiction conspiracy before finals? Ahn Jaeseong: ‘I never imagined they’d pull something this dirty…’ expresses anger.”

“Disgrace at Shanghai Chef Tournament… Rival chef’s drug addiction plot revealed. Chinese chef and event organizers face public outrage.”

“Who is the Archmage? Ahn Jaeseong: ‘Even my poison recipes owe it to the Archmage.’”

“Korean Chef Ahn Jaeseong Wins Despite Conspiracy! ‘Would Have Been Impossible Without the Archmage'”

“Who is the Archmage? The World Is Watching—What Are These Crops He Grows?”

“Ahn Jaeseong Mentions ‘The Archmage Emperor’ in His Shanghai Victory Speech… Spotlight Now on the Mysterious Figure”

“Ahn Jaeseong Triumphs Despite Sabotage… The Archmage’s Cherry Tomatoes Saved Him”

China found itself engulfed in international criticism.

The full story was soon revealed.

A Chinese chef who made it to the semi-finals had handed Ahn Jaeseong a spiked substance.

There had been a shady deal behind the scenes with Chef Wang Gang, one of the finalists.

Wang Gang is the head chef of a Michelin 3-star restaurant—already a big name.

To him, losing to a Korean was an unacceptable disgrace.

In the end, their underhanded tactics completely backfired.

Not only were they permanently expelled from the culinary world, they also ended up behind bars.

China’s central government sentenced them to life imprisonment—harsher than usual—in a bid to calm the global backlash.

And so, justice prevailed for Chef Ahn Jaeseong.

The rough path only made his victory shine brighter.

It had been a competition many ignored at first—but the scandal brought massive attention to it.

And then…

“Who exactly is the Archmage?”

“Are his crops really that amazing?”

“Some say his estimated level is over 90.”

“Rumor has it he’s the unofficial global No. 1.”

With Ahn Jaeseong’s mention of the Archmage, attention turned to this mysterious figure.

And soon, like a snowball, that spotlight expanded to the crops he had put on the market.

“What even is this White Sun Herb the Archmage sold?”

It was the first time the White Sun Herb had been sold outside a private network.

Once its extraordinary effects became known, it caused a massive stir on SuperNet.

[GayaSon]: When you consume the White Sun Herb sold by the Archmage, your magic amplification rate increases!

[GayaSon]: For a full hour, too!

Magic amplification is one of the most important attributes for superhumans.

And now a buff that boosts it had hit the market.

[Egghardt]: Whoa! It’s not just the amplification rate. The magical potency in that White Sun Herb is several times higher than normal. It’s on par with a Great Elixir—or better!

[MyeongranFriedRice]: Insane;; What level is that White Sun Herb? Could it really be over level 90?

[AgedKimchi]: Maybe it’s even level 100…

[Gwamegi]: Come on, there’s no way level 100 even exists.

Since the White Sun Herb showed up with a level marked as “???”, wild speculation about its true level flooded the forums.

[Jackal]: I saw it auction off for 1.2 million coins and thought it was a rich idiot’s flex… but honestly? That price might’ve been cheap. Hmm…

[SoySauceCrab]: I’ll admit, when I first saw it go for 1.2 million coins, I thought, ‘What kind of sucker pays that much?’

1.2 million coins.

Roughly 12 billion won.

A sum most people couldn’t earn in a lifetime.

At first, people scoffed when the Archmage’s White Sun Herb sold for over twice the usual market price.

But now, even those critics were saying that auction had been a steal.

“Oh! The Archmage has listed five stalks each of Lunadria and White Sun Herb in the auction again!”

The Archmage had once again put Lunadria and White Sun Herb up for bidding.

The starting price was the same as before.

But this time, bids were pouring in even faster.

Thanks to Ahn Jaeseong’s story going viral, the Archmage’s name had spread further than ever, boosting interest to unprecedented levels.

The skyrocketing auction prices showed no signs of slowing.

“We have to win this one! No matter what!”

Hong Seolhwa.

She gathered her clan’s entire budget to enter the bidding war.

Her goal: to win at least one stalk of either the White Sun Herb or Lunadria.

And she had a good reason.

Now that she had surpassed level 80, she needed the Archmage’s elixir to push through another breakthrough.

“This time, I will secure it.”

Aleksei Volkov.

Guardian of the Northern Hemisphere.

He had replenished his exhausted arsenal.

He, too, joined the great auction war.

With monster waves growing ever more powerful, he couldn’t afford to be complacent just because he had reached level 80.

He had to grow stronger.

“Let’s see if these Archmage-brand herbs really live up to the hype.”

“I’m curious if they’re really that legendary.”

Even high-level superhumans around the world, who had previously stayed silent, began joining in.

Endless waves of bidders poured in!

That small spark Ahn Jaeseong had lit now sent the prices of the Archmage’s herbs soaring into the stratosphere.

***

Meanwhile.

Having listed the Lunadria and White Sun Herb for auction, I was calmly feeding Dania.

[Kyuuuu! So tasty!!]

Dania’s joyful cry.

It was understandable.

Right now, Dania had already alternated between drinking the Tai Yin Yang Essence and Heaven and Earth Restoration Soup several times.

“Wow, our Dania… really eats so well.”

Just how high was its growth limit?

It kept eating without rest, and leveling up without rest.

Unlike at the beginning, it didn’t gain a level with every single sip.

But now, even two or three servings still meant one level up.

Just like now.

Paaaah!!

A radiant burst of five-colored light erupted from behind Dania.

「Elemental Dragon <Dania>’s level has increased! 109LV → 110LV」

Reached 110Lv in just one day!

With that, Dania’s body grew ever so slightly larger.

And the protrusion that had risen on its head… became just a little more…

“Huh?”

Looking at Dania’s head, I let out a sound of surprise.

Why?

Above Dania’s head—

A small horn, about two knuckles long, had sprouted.

[Kyuuung! So refreshing!! Dania’s first horn came out!!]

It must have realized the horn had appeared, because Dania was squealing in excitement.

And that horn—

「Elemental Dragon Dania has grown its first horn (Horn of Potential).」

It had been given the title Horn of Potential.

Goooooo!!

「<Dragon Blood> is being influenced by the <Horn of Potential>.」

The multicolored radiance flowing from Dania’s horn wrapped around my body.

「Congratulations. Your level cap has been extended!」

「The potential of your <Trait Skills> has expanded.」

「The <Platinum Trait Skill Exclusive Shop> has been unlocked!」

“Oh!”

Vitality surged from within my body.

I could feel exactly what it meant for the level cap to have been expanded.

Just a moment ago, I thought I couldn’t drink any more Tai Yin Yang Essence, but now? Totally fine.

I could drink even more.

‘I can increase the speed of leveling up!’

And my own max level cap must’ve gone up too.

“Amazing!”

As expected of our lucky charm!

What is this Platinum Trait Skill Exclusive Shop, anyway?

I immediately entered the Platinum Lounge.

「You have entered the Platinum Lounge.」

Current number of users in the Platinum Lounge: 1

A channel only I could access.

There, I saw a list I hadn’t seen before.

「Platinum Trait Skill Exclusive Shop」

「Currently Active List」

• Elixir Master (SSS)

Only Elixir Master was active.

Spiritual Communion, Summoning, Dragon Blood Awakening—all were inactive.

I tapped on the only active one, Elixir Master.

“Ah!”

And I saw it.

Filling my entire vision.

“All of this… are these elixirs and herbs?”

A feast of elixirs and spirit herbs.