Chapter 265: Brew

Chapter 265: Brew

"Flogga, have you by any chance created new potions?" I asked.

She had already made two items that were honestly game-changing for the clan:

Brawn Juice, which boosted strength for five minutes and turned any goblin into a temporary powerhouse, and Evil Ball, an alchemical sphere that burst into a choking, eye-watering cloud the moment it hit something.

Both had already proven their worth, so I couldn’t help hoping she had something else up her sleeve.

"Of course," Flogga said in that matter-of-fact tone she always used when excellence was expected of her.

She pushed herself to her feet, joints cracking softly, and moved toward the nearest stone shelf carved directly into the hut’s wall.

This particular shelf sat closest to the firepit, warmed just enough to keep finished brews from settling or spoiling.

She bent slightly, her voice lowering to a quiet mutter as she shifted jars and small bowls aside.

Then, from the far corner, she pulled out two glass vials, each stoppered with resin and wrapped in thin strands of dried root to keep them sealed.

She held them carefully, like they were newborn goblins, and returned to me with slow, confident steps.

Flogga reached me and gently pressed the vials into my palms, with a small, proud grin.

"Here you go."

"Two?" I muttered when I realized she had both hands full.

I honestly didn’t understand how she managed to brew two completed potions in a single day. Even with Mira helping her sort ingredients, this level of speed shouldn’t have been possible.

I took them carefully, feeling that same boyish awe crawl up my chest.

Every time she handed me something new, I felt like I was five years old again, being shown a secret no one else had access to.

"I suppose I don’t need to explain what they do," Flogga said, her tone teasing. "You have that sight of yours."

Right. She was expecting me to use [Analyze], and honestly, I preferred that anyway. Her explanations tended to drift into five-minute lectures about fungus and extraction temperatures.

I lifted the first vial.

The liquid inside was a strange, milky white, almost innocent-looking, but I knew better than to trust appearances. If Flogga brewed it, there was a high chance it would taste like someone squeezed disappointment into a cup.

I activated [Analyze], and the description flickered before my eyes.

[Keenwake Tonic]

Description:

A thumb-sized vial filled with a pale liquid that looks almost like watered-down milk. When shaken, thin silver streaks swirl through it before settling again. The smell carries a faint blend of fresh grass and mint, but the bitterness is sharp enough to sting the throat.

Effect:

• Sharpened senses for two minutes

• Small boost to Perception (+10)

• Increases awareness of fast movement and improves detection of ambushes

Side Effect:

• Mild headache once the effect wears off

"Oh," I breathed, surprised.

This was actually... really good.

It was perfect for scouting, for archery, for slipping through tight duels where one wrong movement could cost a limb or a life.

Even in chaotic fights where ambushes and sudden flanking were common, a potion like this would be priceless.

A two-minute window of heightened senses could change entire fights. Detecting an ambush? Tracking something fast? That was more valuable than most people understood.

In a game-like world where one misstep could end a life, even a temporary boost could save a dozen.

And the side effect was just a minor headache.

At least, that was what the description said.

I didn’t know what "minor" meant; minor could mean anything from a dull throb behind the eyes to feeling like someone was knocking inside my skull.

But even then, two minutes of heightened clarity was no joke.

In a real fight, two minutes was practically an eternity.

That was enough time to read an opponent, spot openings, shift momentum, and end the battle before the enemy even realized the tide had turned.

Still, I wasn’t foolish enough to trust it blindly.

I’d have to test it first, see how sharp the senses became, and more importantly, how bad the headache truly was.

I stared at the liquid again, tilting the vial slightly so the silver streaks slid and curled inside.

It really was a powerful mixture, subtle yet dangerous in its own way. Exactly the type of thing Flogga would create—useful, effective, and slightly frightening.

For a moment, I wondered how she actually brewed something like this, what herbs she combined, how long she boiled them, how she got those silver streaks to form...

But I stopped myself quickly.

Even if she explained every step, it would fly over my head. I wasn’t an alchemist, and I didn’t plan on becoming one. My job was to use the tools she crafted, not understand the complicated, headache-inducing process behind them.

And honestly, I preferred it that way.

I shifted my attention to the second vial, the one filled with a murky green liquid thick enough that it clung to the glass when I tilted it. The moment I lifted it closer, a faint earthy smell hit my nose, something between damp soil and raw bark, and I almost gagged just imagining how it would taste.

Eurgh.

Even without knowing its name, I could already tell this thing wanted to assault my tongue.

I didn’t need Flogga or Mira to explain it.

I didn’t even need to activate [Analyze] yet.

Anything that looked this unappealing, this muddy and stubbornly green, was obviously going to taste like pure misery.

Still, I checked its name.

[Bitterroot Stamina Draught]

Bitterroot.

Yep. My reaction was one hundred percent valid.

Anything with bitter in the name had no business pretending it might be drinkable. And anything Flogga brewed that involved roots usually meant the taste was the last thing she cared about. Strength first, suffering second.

I already knew what the potion was for before reading a single line of its description.

Stamina booster. Something that lets you keep going when your lungs and legs are screaming. Something you’d drink right before the moment everything falls apart.

Useful... extremely useful.

But definitely disgusting.

Bitterroot Stamina Draught

Description: A murky green potion with a sharp, earthy aroma strong enough to sting the nose. Brewed by simmering bitterroot, wild mint, and crushed wormleaf, this draught reinforces the body’s natural endurance, helping the drinker push through physical strain or prolonged exertion.

Effect: Significantly increases stamina regeneration for ten minutes.

Side Effect: Extremely unpleasant taste and smell; leaves a lingering bitterness on the tongue.

Seriously?

The side effect was the...