Chapter 29: Class Change Elixir

"Ghost Mask Flower, a vial of Swamp Banshee's blood, oh~~ and the heartwood of White Oak... These are all ingredients needed for class advancement elixirs that require real brains. Take them, Sister Maria." "Thank you." "No need to thank me. I happen to be quite skilled at potion brewing," the elderly priest with thick glasses said jokingly, shaking his head. But truth be told, no one would dare taste anything brewed by an old priest with poor eyesight and shaky hands. Maria smiled at his dry humor. "I’d rather not end up serving the Lord prematurely," she joked. The old priest, who was in charge of the material storage, raised both hands and then feigned heartbreak dramatically. Light banter like this was helpful in easing the solemn pressure of the cathedral, as long as one remembered never to joke like this where the Inquisition might hear you. A single careless word could make you the next fresh kindling for the pyre—especially in a holy place like this. Finally, Maria had gathered all the ingredients she needed for the [Iron] rank class change elixir. Thanks to her accomplishments in Emerald Port, Maria had the Archbishop's writ in hand and was able to splurge. If she’d had to gather all these rare materials herself, it could’ve easily delayed her by another week. This experience reinforced her decision to get involved in a player-led warband—being backed by power truly made everything easier. [Scholar]. That was the class Maria had decided to advance into. It would carry her from [Iron] all the way to [Silver], and the class bonus to Perception made it ideal. With it, Maria was confident she could transition later into [Moonlight Hunter] or [Godblood Hunter]! In [Fractured], changing classes was relatively simple. First, you had to know the name of your class—usually something the guiding NPC would tell you. Then you had to brew and drink the relevant class advancement elixir. The elixir was just a key—it unlocked the class's skill set, and with luck, might even grant stray fragments of knowledge. In general, classes that didn’t conflict could be held simultaneously. If the advancement conditions were met, you didn’t have to stick to your original class path. For instance, while [Scholar] normally led to [Mystic], [Alchemist], or [Great Scholar], Maria was aiming for a high-tier [Hunter] path. [Scholar] was just a stepping stone. "I’m a Scholar. Carrying a staff-sword into battle is totally normal. It’s no different than a [Spellweaver] clubbing people with a wand." Muttering strange things to herself, Maria secured a quiet alchemy room. After thoroughly washing her pale hands, the black-robed nun began to work the cauldron and flasks. In truth, the scene resembled some tribal witch doctor brewing something absurdly chaotic. "Four Seasons Flower petals... um, what does 'a pinch' mean? Seven-degree gold dust, 'as needed'... Damn it, could this [Scholar] elixir not be more vague with its measurements?! One vial of pure water, heartwood, ghost mask flower, banshee’s blood... Fine, everything is just 'a pinch' and 'as needed'!" Grumbling about the elixir’s cryptic instructions, Maria deftly tossed the ingredients into the cauldron. A foul green smoke started to rise, and she silently prayed the resulting brew wouldn’t taste as bad as it smelled. Effectiveness wasn’t a concern. Once the mystical ingredients reacted under the right conditions, the core effects were pretty much guaranteed. Any excess components would be neutralized automatically. GURGLE! GURGLE!! The potion suddenly began to boil violently. Bubbles surged upward and popped, yet despite reaching a deep emerald green, the potion didn’t splash out of the cauldron. A faint black smoke puffed from the top. Maria’s petite nose twitched, and she rushed to the window. Moments later, the sound of people gagging echoed from outside. The stench—like a sewer exploded—sent everyone fleeing from the area. After a long while... The black-robed nun emerged from the quiet room, stiffly holding a flask of green, bubbly liquid. She had nearly been knocked unconscious by the stench. Thank the Lord for decent ventilation. "It’s done... probably?" Staring at the suspicious bubbling green potion in her hand, Maria suddenly felt the urge to find some poor soul to test it on. ... Drinking an advancement elixir had to be done in a safe environment. High-grade elixirs might even have additional ritualistic requirements. Fortunately, [Iron]-tier potions weren’t that fussy. Still... The sewer stench made her want to hurl just thinking about drinking it. Her previous class had been [Swordsman], and that elixir had tasted like jasmine tea. Was this [Scholar] potion supposed to be green tea, then? Glaring at the potion on the table, Maria finally clenched her jaw, took a deep breath, and grabbed the flask. Eyes closed, trying not to recall that nauseating odor, she emptied her mind and tipped it back— ‘Taste is... surprisingly fine. Sweet, even...’ The cool [Scholar] potion flowed down her throat and into her stomach. A floating, dissociative sensation began to spread from her gut, swelling until it filled her entire brain. It felt like staying awake for three days straight—her body detached from her mind, everything teetering on the edge of collapse. Then suddenly, clarity. A shackle in her mind shattered under that drifting sensation. Knowledge. Maria saw knowledge. It manifested like mischievous sprites, flashing in and out of existence within her awareness! Countless ideas and inspirations wove together, forming creative bursts that begged to be written down. Maria was almost entranced by the euphoria of her first advancement. But soon, the bliss gave way to pain—intense, mind-splitting agony! Her blood roiled wildly within her veins. Mad, chaotic whispers erupted from every corner of her consciousness!