The Final Desperation

*Rustle rustle clank clank*

Astros watched in wonder as Genji and Cake filled a long dining table with piles of food as if they were arranging an eating contest. In a way, it was a contest—only the participant wouldn't be competing against others, but against himself. Once Genji set down the last tray, he picked up Astros and placed him in the main seat.

"Yii??" Astros asked, tilting his head.

"Don't worry. Just eat. This is required to bind this badge," Genji said, placing the [Proof of Gluttony] beside the ferret. The badge glowed softly as if sensing a new challenger.

"Alright, you have 30 minutes. Start whenever you're ready."

Astros didn't quite understand what was happening, but he knew his dad had just laid out a feast for him. That was all he needed to know. Without any further delay, he dived onto the table and began stuffing his cheeks with food, chewing incessantly as his body rapidly converted the consumed mass into energy.

With each mouthful of food, the badge grew slightly brighter, recognizing his progress. Genji moved the plates forward while Cake cleared the table. Together, the two of them formed a makeshift conveyor belt, perpetually dumping heaps of food into the black hole that was Astros's stomach.

Until finally, Astros vanquished all the dishes and let out a satisfied burp. The badge hummed in acknowledgment and ceased its light display, revealing a perfect score. Astros had effortlessly devoured 500 times his body weight, with plenty of room to spare. His stomach had barely changed from the exertion. Now, that was a nice snack.

"I still can't believe how easily he ate all that," Cake remarked, wiping the sweat off her forehead and poking at Astros's underside. "It's like there's a whole world in there."

"You might just be right," Genji said, taking out a leather collar fitted with a stainless steel tag. The front of the tag bore a faint lotus flower, while the reverse shimmered with rune lines that only reveal themselves when imbued with energy.

This was part of a two-piece set that he'd commissioned from Azona.

[Roots of Duality]

Rating: Legendary

Type: Accessory/Ring

Requirements: 50 Spc, 50 Int

Energy Capacity: 0/10,000

Durability: 50/50

Effects:

Return to Flower (Active): Consume 2,500 points of energy and teleport the user to the [Flower of Duality] after 30 seconds. Cooldown: 7 days.

Instant Getaway (Active): Consume 7,500 points of energy and immediately teleport the user to the [Flower of Duality]. Upon use, all teleportations between the components of duality will be disabled for 30 days.

Description: 1/2 of the Duality set. The roots are the most important part of a plant and serve as the anchor of its life. Without them, the flower will quickly wither and die.

[Flower of Duality]

Rating: Legendary

Type: Accessory/Dog tag

Requirements: None

Durability: 50/50

Effects:

Return to Roots (Active): Consume 2,500 points of the [Roots of Duality]'s stored energy and teleport the user to it after 30 seconds. Cooldown: 7 days.

Spatial Pocket (Passive): Grants the user access to a 5-cubic-meter storage space. Items can be put in and taken out with the user's energy.

Description: 1/2 of the Duality set. The flowers are responsible for producing a plant's fruits and seeds. While a plant can live without flowers, it cannot develop to its full potential.

Note: Be careful of the flower; while it may appear pretty, you never know what lies beneath its roots. Its intoxicating scent could very well be your last breath.

Note 2: You dare bully me? Dad! Get him!

The collar, of course, was the flower part of the set. Genji gently tied it around Astros's neck and guided him on how to use it. Once Astros got the hang of the Spatial Pocket, Genji handed him the [Proof of Gluttony] and asked him to put it away. With that, Astros now had an inconspicuous backpack at his disposal.

"Alright, off you go," Genji said, scratching the ferret behind the ears.

Astros purred with satisfaction before hopping away.

Genji helped Cake move the plates to the dishwasher, thanked her for her assistance, and headed to his lab. There, he pulled out the bacteria colony he'd meticulously cultivated to mimic the properties of fairy dust and collected a sample for testing.

Once he confirmed the bacteria hadn't mutated beyond their initial state, he divided the colony into small portions, carefully added them to some potion bases, and set them aside.

Bubbles began to form within these mixtures, much like the carbon dioxide released by yeast during alcoholic fermentation. Genji waited half an hour before shaking them to redistribute the compounds. Then he siphoned a few drops for another test.

'Potency has increased by 160%. Life activities are normal. The bacteria should be active for another hour,' he concluded.

Genji passed the time working on other potions and occasionally checked on the mixture's progress. At the end of the hour, he added a clumpy white powder that disabled the bacteria's activity and filtered the product through a very fine sieve. Then he began mixing the potion bases at precise ratios, along with some fresh herbs. The result was a purple serum that smelled like torn basil leaves.

[Concentrated Vitality Extract]

Rating: Epic

Requirements: 30 Con

Effect: Recover 250 hp/sec for 50 seconds. If you are not injured, increase max health by 650~800 points instead. Effective 13 times and has a cap of 40,000 health.

Description: A potent elixir made by a mad scientist using unconventional methods. Its effects are so intense that EverRealm had to set a minimum requirement for its users, fearing that those with weak bodies might overdose on vitality. Truly one of a kind.

Note: Are you sure this is a medicine? Because... the brewing process resembles that of a deadly poison more than anything else.

This batch produced 8 portions. After doing the math, Genji calculated he would need 8~10 portions to max out his health. So he brewed 7 more batches, diluting 2 of them for mass production. In the end, he had 48 epic vitality potions and 64 rare potions.

The rare potions restored 50 health per second for 30 seconds, increased maximum health by 90~110 points per pop, and could be used up to 9 times, with a limit of 20,000 health.

Of the 48 epic potions, Genji consumed 9, leaving 39 as marketable products. As for the rare potions, he sent them to Ivan for auctioning at the Brewers' Alliance.

The alliance had been gaining traction among the lower-ranked realm members for its premium products and, as a result, had given him quite a decent payout. The addition of these potions would only fuel their momentum and push them to new heights. Genji, being a "major shareholder" of the business, only stood to gain from this development.

Ivan immediately got to work upon seeing the message. Although he knew nothing about hosting an auction, that didn't stop him from gathering a group of acquaintances and consulting those with knowledgable in the subject. After some discussion, they scheduled the event for a week later, sent out invitations and item catalogues to potential customers, and began promotions.

Some sharp-minded guests realized the potions were made by the same person who released the prototypes eight months ago and reached out to Celine to help facilitate a direct purchase. After all, why compete in an auction when she had already secured an agreement with the supplier? (ch. 186).

Their only concern now was whether the supplier would uphold the verbal agreement after so long. Luckily for them, Genji had just returned from a world where he had enjoyed smooth cooperation with Celine.

"I'll even throw in the epic version for you," Genji said when she came to him. "Name your price."

"Ahhhhhh..." Celine trailed off, gobsmacked by what she was seeing. "Can you reserve five for me? I need to gather some funds first... heh heh." She laughed awkwardly.

"Sure. Though you could always raise the price and pocket the difference as a middleman," Genji suggested.

"...I don't think that's a good idea," Celine replied after a short pause.

"You can pin the blame on me if you're worried about your reputation," Genji offered. "I don't mind. It's not like they'll know any better if you don't say anything."

Celine understood what he was getting at. Genji had previously said he would compensate her for her troubles before his fight against Xyrela, and this was his way of doing so. However, she didn't want to use his reputation for something like that. Call it stubbornness, or whatever, but just goes against her principles.

"No, thank you. I'll save the favor for something else," she politely declined with a light wave.

"Up to you," Genji shrugged. "Just tell me when you're ready to use it."

Celine hummed in response and placed an order on behalf of her friends. Then she left to raise funds for her potions.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

On this day, River Stream could be seen walking down a busy street, his head turning from side to side as he scanned the numbers on the buildings. "16th Baker Street. 16th Baker Street," he murmured to himself. "11, 13, 15… Ah, 16! Found it!"

Without a moment's delay, he jogged over, pulled open the door, and stepped inside. A light scent of ground coffee teased his senses as he scanned the shop for his friend. Eventually, he spotted 7156 sitting at a window seat, reading from his notebook while sipping a cup of warm brew. Behind him, a stoic man in black attire stood attentively, waiting like a quiet butler.

River Stream approached the counter, ordered a drink, and then made his way to the table. "Hey there. Haven't seen you in a while," he greeted 7156, his eyes then shifting to the stoic man. "So who's this? Care to introduce me?"

"Bodyguard," 7156 replied in his usual concise manner.

"Bodyguard? Since when do you need one of those?"

"For you," 7156 explained.

"For me?" The teen pointed at himself before giving the stranger a second glance. "And you're okay with this?"

The man nodded. "He saved my life, and I agreed to repay the favor." His voice was calm, as if stating an everyday fact.

"Okay? So how long will you be with me?" River asked.

"Permanently," the man answered back.

"What the?!? Do you have to go so far?"

"He saved my life," the man reiterated.

"Yeah, yeah. I get that." River waved dramatically. "But that doesn't explain anything. Why are you giving up your entire life for that?"

"I don't know what else to do," the man replied in a somewhat depressing tone, cutting off all other retorts from River.

"Fine." River let out a resigned sigh and asked, "Can I at least get your name, then?"

The man paused for a moment, as if recalling old memories. He ruminated for several more seconds before finally snapping out of it and uttering a single word: "Sivan."

Just then, a staff member arrived with River's drink, easing the somber mood. River politely thanked the person before turning his attention to 7156. "Where did you even find someone like this?"

"Last world," 7156 replied curtly.

"So he's a native? That makes so much more sense."

7156 said nothing, simply finished his drink, and stood up to leave.

"Hey, wait for me!" River called out as he quickly chugged his order, then ran after him with Sivan in tow. They followed 7156 to Genji's room, where he strolled right in.

Genji looked up from the counter and waved them over. "Ah, you're just in time. I have some new wares you might be interested in."

7156 hummed in acknowledgement and pointed at Sivan. "Health checkup."

"No problem," Genji agreed with a smile. "Follow me to the lab." He rose from his seat and opened the door to a metal chamber. A burst of decontaminating spray enveloped them, carrying the sharp scent of antiseptic.

As this happened, Sivan looked at Genji with a flicker of recognition, then realization. 'So that's why he felt so strange. He was never a witch hunter to begin with.'

They entered the room, and Genji pointed to a dissection table.

"Hop on and take off your shirt," he said as he washed his hands.

Sivan obliged and laid down on the cold metal surface. Genji came over and tapped along the stomach, sending light pulses of cutting intent through the body to scan for any anomalies. Eventually, he realized the source of Sivan's troubles stemmed from his bone marrow. It was an innate illness - one that would repetitively bear its fangs.

"You're lucky to be alive," Genji said as he retracted his hand. "Those medicines you've been taking must be something else."

"Is it treatable?" Sivan asked listlessly as he slid his shirt back on. It was clear he didn't hold much expectation for a positive answer. After all, he knew better than anyone here just how troublesome his affliction was.

"Suppressible, yes. Treatable… that'll depend on you. It's both easy and difficult at the same time," Genji replied.

This immediately grabbed Sivan's attention. Without leaving him in suspense, Genji continued, "Out of all the methods, I only know one that can permanently resolve your problem, and it costs 20 privilege tokens. You can ask 7156 for the details later—he knows what I'm talking about. For now..." Genji pulled out a pack of six potions and placed them in Sivan's hands. "Drink."

Sivan's gaze lingered on the potions for a few moments before looking up at Genji, silently asking how they were supposed to help. Genji said nothing and just gestured for him to follow his instructions.

Left with no choice, Sivan uncorked the first bottle and poured it down as fast as he could, a habit he'd picked up after years of bitter medicine. As the potion went down, his esophagus tingled with a burning sensation, releasing waves of comforting warmth throughout his body.

A contented groan subconsciously escaped his lips as his body relaxed like never before. It was as if he'd shed years of damage with that single gulp. Without hesitation, he popped open other bottles and chugged down their contents like a refreshing can of beer on a hot summer day.

"Your previous medicine had done a number on you," Genji explained, "even lowering your max health. My potions just undid all that and gave you some breathing room. You now have a few months before your illness acts up again. As for the exact time frame, you'll have to figure that out yourself."

Sivan stared at his hands in disbelief, still trying to wrap his head around his miraculous recovery. He opened and closed them several times, marveling at the strength that felt, oh, so foreign to him. So this was what it felt like to be free from weakness and pain.

"Thank you," Sivan quickly said after a few more seconds.

"Don't thank me just yet," Genji said. "You still need to pay for the treatment."

Sivan's face fell, like a child caught stealing in a store.

"And before you ask, I don't open tabs for newcomers," Genji continued.

"B-but I don't have any money!" Sivan inadvertently cried out, his face contorting into a comical grimace.

They stared at each other for several awkward seconds before everyone, including 7156, slowly panned their heads toward River Stream.

"What?! Me???"

A few days later, Genji came home to find Bruce furiously typing away on his tablet. Curious, Genji approached and asked what had gotten him so worked up. Bruce hit send on his holographic keyboard and turned the screen toward him.

Apparently, he and another online netizen had gotten into an intense argument about the best way to cook meat. While Bruce insisted on roasting over an open fire, his opponent, Dragon Herbert, extolled the virtues of a flaming hot grill—especially one powered by pure dragon fire.

Both parties believed their method was the one true answer and that the other side was simply ignorant of its glory, going so far as to write lengthy argumentative essays to convince each other. They outlined their points with such detail and conviction that any neutral bystander would be instantly swayed to believe their method was the holy grail of cooking.

Genji didn't know the nightbane could write so elegantly, but it seemed competition truly had a way of pushing people to learn new skills. He admired the arguments for a few more seconds before a new response appeared in the chat.

Dragon Herbert: Don't you know how delicious the char from a grill is? They don't call it the "Kiss of the dragon" for nothing! And when you add the mana of a true dragon... Just *chef's kiss.*

Seeing this, Bruce immediately sprang into action, typing a rebuttal in record time.

MeatLover113: That's because you're a dragon yourself! Stop gassing yourself up and drop the bias already.

Dragon Herbert: Aren't you the same with grilling? Just because it's the first method you learned doesn't mean it's the best!

MeatLover113: That's because I'm telling the truth! Roasting is objectively the best way to cook a large slab of meat! You have no idea how many different ways it can be done!

Dragon Herbert: Nonsense. Grilling is the best!

MeatLover113: No roasting!

Dragon Herbert: Grilling!

MeatLover113: Roasting!

Genji watched speechlessly as the civil conversation devolved into childish bickering. Looking away from the screen, he noticed Astros watching cute cat videos on the other side of the room, waiting for Bruce to finish so they could go eat. The ferret had clearly grown used to his big brother's antics and had learned to leave him be.

Genji was at a loss for words at this scene. Not knowing what to say, he decided to grab Astros and leave the room instead. "Alright, you keep fighting your crusade. I'm going to take a stroll with the little guy."

Bruce conjured a spare tentacle and waved in response before directing all his attention to scolding his opponent. While his online reputation might not rival the dragon's, he must not lose out on momentum!

As for how the argument even started in the first place, we have to go back to a certain video Astros made of Bruce cooking (ch. 237). Eager to share the joy, he immediately uploaded the footage when he got back, claiming Bruce was the best brother ever.

Herbert, a subscriber and self-proclaimed number-one fan of the ferret, naturally saw the video, grew jealous (though he wouldn't admit it), tracked down Bruce's socials, and sent a "kindly" worded message.

This was how their first exchange went:

Dragon Herbert: Your roasting is trash! I can do much better. Grilling is the true way!

Seeing this, Bruce's first reaction was, 'Who the fuck are you?' followed by, 'What strange hole did you crawl out of?' and finally, 'Hello, mental hospitals? Are you missing any patients? Because I think I've found one roaming in the wild!'

With these thoughts, his reply naturally wouldn't be weak. They traded insults a few times until Bruce finally asked what qualifications Herbert had to critique him.

Dragon Herbert: Qualifications? Of course, I have plenty. I am the Legendary Elemental Dragon, Keeper of Delicacies, Creator of the Dragon Flame Grilling Style, Master Chef of the Ages… (omitted 13 other titles), and Elder of the Gourmet Alliance. Bow down to me, peasant!

Bruce had only one response to this overly exaggerated introduction.

MeatLover113: Fuck off, pompous dragon.

This retort sparked another round of colorful insults, during which they eventually settled on "Ignorant Horse" and "Braggart Dragon" as their respective go-to forms of address.

With that, they concluded the first of many legendary battles between dragon and horse.

The Brewer Alliance's auction was a huge success. While many attendees left unsatisfied, the event had cemented the Brewer Alliance as an organization worth watching, lest they miss another round of high-tier goods.

Genji also received full payment for his wares, having bypassed EverRealm's auctioning fee. That was the main advantage of organizing the auction himself.

During this time, Genji had also sold off the loot from his kills. However, this batch fetched a lower price than usual because the associated properties were rather mediocre. Nonetheless, he obtained 22,000 coins from this endeavor.

Aside from that, he also earned 41,000 coins from his potions. After accounting for some spare change and prior savings, he had a total of 68,000 coins. Of this, he reserved 20,000 for consumables and commissioned his nuclear grenade provider to craft a custom explosive using [Fiery Essence of War].

While expensive, a powerful bomb is always useful to have on hand in case he needs to level another troublesome structure.

That left 48,000 coins for his masteries.

- Parrying (Grandmaster 5%)

- Swift Steps (Grandmaster 6%)

- Total Weapon Mastery (Grandmaster 33.6% → 34%)

- Firearms (Grandmaster 35%)

- Stealth (Grandmaster 89%)

- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Supreme 5%)

- Dodging (Supreme 16.4%)

- Dagger Mastery (Supreme 51% → 52%)

First, he allocated 11,000 coins to Stealth, upgrading it to Supreme.

[Stealth has reached Supreme mastery. Please select a bonus effect.]

Thin Presence: Reduce your presence by 50%, making you more likely to be overlooked.

Crisis Suppression: Reduce all sense of danger you give off by 30%.

Direct Camouflage: Generates a film that is identical to your surroundings. This film will update every time you move, ensuring the optimal camouflage in any environment.

Genji immediately eliminated the third option. While it had the most advanced effect, it didn't do much to improve his combat abilities. In other words, it might as well have been a dead ability.

That left only two options. Of these, Genji settled on Crisis Suppression after some thought. At his current level, many opponents had a razor-sharp sixth sense, capable of detecting any danger directed at them. This made it difficult to land any substantial surprise attacks without a high stealth priority or overwhelming stats.

But with Crisis Suppression, Genji could effectively nullify some of that advantage. Not only did it synergize well with his newly developed sniper abilities, boosting the hit rate of his first shot, but it also made him harder to perceive during high-speed combat.

If his opponent lost focus even once, he could essentially slip through their defenses and end the battle immediately. While Thin Presence would likely provide a greater boost in this regard, Genji liked the overall versatility of Crisis Suppression more and was willing to make the trade-off.

That concluded his fourth supreme mastery. Now to decide his fifth one. Between Total Weapon Mastery and Firearms, Genji chose to work on Firearms next for sniper-related reasons.

Thus, after spending his remaining coins, his masteries were as follows, listed in ascending order.

- Parrying (Grandmaster 5%)

- Swift Steps (Grandmaster 6%)

- Total Weapon Mastery (Grandmaster 34%)

- Firearms (Grandmaster 35% → 72%)

- Stealth (Grandmaster 89% → Supreme 0%)

- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Supreme 15%)

- Dodging (Supreme 16.4%)

- Dagger Mastery (Supreme 52%)

As Genji was leaving the Strengthening Hall, he received a message from the mechanic indicating that his order was ready. He stopped by the workshop, picked up his two guns, and teleported back to his room.

Then he conjured [Curse Eater's Mark] and commanded it to assimilate the two new firearms. The flintlocks dissolved into a black tar and encased them. Air bubbles popped on the surface as it analyzed and replaced their structure.

An hour later, the substance came to a stop and flowed back into his hand, reforming into a diamond-shaped imprint.

[Curse Eater's Mark has obtained two new forms.]

Current available forms:

Flintlock (Base form): Ignores world restrictions and equipment sealing effects.

Sniper Rifle: +5 damage, long range, strong armor penetration, consumes 2 bullet charges/per shot.

Shotgun: +10 damage, extremely short range, extremely high burst damage, consumes 4 bullet charges/round.

With that, his time in EverRealm drew to an end, and he returned to Earth once more.