《The modern day plague doctor》


 Prologue

    It happened so suddenly. Monsters you see in video games and read in books suddenly showed up in the world. Every government fell almost instantly when they appeared. If normal weak monsters like goblins showed up first then bullets and missles would have done it. But what showed up in the beginning was dragons that flew through the air with scales that are harder than steel. Phoenix''s with flames that could melt anything within a mile radius in seconds. Giant worms that would burrow underground and shoot up to swallow five people at once.


    While on the sea krakens appeared and with them beings that would later be called leviathans. But the scary thing is where they appeared which is in almost every military base. They were destroyed in seconds like someone knew what they were doing when bringing these monsters to our world. Then came the slimes and giant animals. They tore through many people like paper. Their strength and ferociousness was something a normal person from modern earth could compete against. Thankfully we weren''t totally left on our own. Humanity was given a weapon commonly called the system.


    It would show a persons name, level, and their stats. When one first opens the system they will get a gift. The gift can range from a stick to armor that can repair itself to a staff that can fire magic. Of course only the really luck get things like that. Then the discovery of skill books was made which allowed people to learn different things. Once someone learns a skill they would understand it and can then teach it to other people. After about a month people started coming together and forming their own governments. There are also bandit groups here and there. As the months went by proper kingdoms were made with a king and nobles. They made farms, walls, and lived in buildings that are still standing after the monsters attacked. The human race were able to make a new life for itself. But problems once again emerged. Disease ran rampant due to shots no longer being administered and cleaning becoming more of a chore.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    At first people with healing magic tried to cure all the diseases with their magic. But they learned that some diseases don''t have such a simple solution. Then they used medicine where magic failed and for a time it worked. But supplies soon ran dry so everyone turned to former doctors. Not many survived after the attack but there was enough of them in every kingdom. But by then it was to late as new parasites and diseases which were riding on the monsters during their transfer were unleashed upon the world. They greatly confused the doctors and soon they had to admit to their powerlessness. Until a skill was soon made known. The alchemy skill which is said to hold the key to the new parasite came to be known.


    At first no one cared for such a skill as they saw no need for it. But soon new plant species were being discovered every other day 6 months after the end. Some can be seen as nothing as grass while other can be a giant tree with a bright purple glow. Alchemists were now in demand but those that are currently learning alchemy were still new to the field. But in New York-Presbyterian Hospital/ Weill Cornell medical center resides the only man who has mastered alchemy. That would be me Vincent Hamilton more commonly known as the plague doctor.

 Chapter 1

    Most of my life was spent in a hospital. My immune system was weaker than an average persons but it was a step above from me needing to be put in a plastic bubble or a air tight room. Originally I lived in a small town but when my adopted parents noticed I got sick 3 times a month they took me to a hospital who then took me to New York. Here they can make sure I can a have somewhat normal life. I still get sick a lot but with the doctors help they can make it so I don''t croak from a fever. My adopted family had to stay in my home town but they made sure to visit me whenever they can. At first Kelly, my step sister, was devastated when she heard the news and kept coming to visit me.


    I didn''t go to school too often but when I did I enjoyed every bit of it. The doctors made me wear latex gloves when I went but it was a small sacrifice to pay. I loved learning all I could. I soon had a goal for myself. I wanted to become a doctor to cure myself and help others. I admit that the hospital I lived at influenced my decision. I didn''t make many friends at school but that happens when you go to school for a week and a half every month. But I didn''t mind as I got along with the staff pretty well. Everything was going great until beginning of senior year of high school.


    Let''s just say a incident happened and because of that I got really depressed and had one of the worst fevers of my life. Everything was leaking out of every hole and let''s just say some things were leaking where they shouldn''t have leaked. It didn''t help that blood was mixed in and I was loopy headed the whole time. Then during all this it happened. The world went down the toilet. If you ask me where I was when the world ended then I would say I was on the top floor of the hospital behind a locked door in a full diaper with a bed pan full of vomit, blood and used tissues by my side. I was fighting a trifecta illness. Where 3 diseases were attacking at once. Or so the doctors told me.


    Anyway I was fading in and out of reality for a while. Occasionally I would hear screaming but I thought that was a dream. It went on like that for a while until everything settled down. When I was finally able to get my bearings together it was already night. First thing I did was clean myself in the rooms bathroom. Afterwards I put on some clothes and went outside for dinner. In the hallway what I saw was blood stains and claw marks everywhere. So I did the most natural thing which was run back in my room, lock the door, and put whatever I could in front of it.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    After cowering in the corner for a few minutes I began to analyze what I saw. My first conclusion was a psycho entered the building and started attacking people. But that doesn''t explain the claw marks. Next would be a escaped wild animal but if that were the case then why is it so quiet. In an emergency patients are evacuated to safety. I ran through a few more scenarios but nothing made sense. I was confused and beginning to panic when something appeared in front of me.


    DUE TO YOUR GREAT COMPATIBILITY WITH THE GOD OF PLAGUES YOU ARE GIVEN A NEW SKILL!


    SKILL RECEIVED


    CONJURE PLAGUE


    THE ABILITY TO CONJURE ANY DISEASE OR PARASITE. CAN ONLY BE CONJURED WITHIN HOSTS BODY.


    What am I looking at? It is simply a transparent screen. What the hell does compatibility with a plague God mean!? I stared at it for a while then ran a little test.


    " CONJURE PLAGUE"


    Nothing happened. I let loose a sigh. But when I sighed a dark grayish fog came out. It said I can summon a disease. The one I chose was the common cold. But is this it? Great so I can make clouds. When I touched it my body felt terrible. After this realization I then turned to the screen. This is like in a game. I tried some things after this thought.


    " Menu."


    " Pause."


    " Stats."


    " Status."


    DING


    NAME: VINCENT HAMILTON


    LEVEL: 1


    HEALTH: 3/3


    MANA: 5/10


    STRENGTH: 6


    VITALITY: 0


    AGITILITY: 4


    DEXTERITY: 2


    INTELLIGENCE: 14


    WISDOM: 17


    Huh. Interesting.

 Chapter 2

    I guess this is what insane people see. I wish that was the truth but the only way for that to be the case is that aliens would appear or my fantasies were to come true and finally I am not in a hospital. I am on a tropical island in the pacific. Now I am on a snowy mountain peak. I will now open my eyes which I closed and I will be in bed with a nurse watching over me. What I saw was my room with stuff on the door. ...Man I hope i''m crazy.


    DING


    RECIEVED ITEM


    In a flash of light something appeared in front of me. With a small clang what appeared there was a spray canister with a five foot hose. But it had a weird attachment. Besides the hose there was straps for what I assume is for putting your arms through. But weirder still was that two tubes were coming out of the canister and were connected to a mask. From my history books I know that it''s a plague doctor mask. It was black in color while the tubes were darkish gray and the canister was half foot in diameter and cover my back from top to bottom.


    When I picked it up it wasn''t that heavy so I guess it''s empty. While staring at it a window popped up.


    DISEASE CANISTER


    A CANISTER THAT CAN HOLD ANY DISEASE OR PARASITE. SPRAY GUN CAN ADD PRESSURE OR DECREASE PRESURE WHEN SPRAYED. GIVEN TO VINCENT HAMILTON AS A GIFT FROM THE GOD OF PLAGUE.


    Since when did me and this god get all buddy buddy. When I looked away from the canister I noticed a pair of clothes. There was a hat, a small cape, with a sweet belt,and a huge turtle neck along with leather pants, leather armor, gloves, and finally all terrain boots. Every piece was black.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    </a>(A/N: I don''t own this picture. But this is the clothes.)


    When I held the clothes in front of me a window appeared saying.


    Plague doctor uniform


    Durability: -/-


    Normal clothes given to those who work with diseased death. Self repairing


    The durability is weird. Guess that''s what happens when clothes repair itself. But it looks so much better than my clothes. I went into the bathroom to change and took a quick glance in the mirror. 18 years old with a height of 6.7 ft and pale skin. The sun would give me a headache most of the time so I did not like sunlight that much. I was stick man skinny due to throwing up once a month. My messy dark greyish hair gave a ghostly feel. It was originally brown but changed color due tosome medicineI tookthat was still in testing. My face was alright as I didn''t get many blemishes growing up. My green eyes realy stood out which made a few people stare. When i finished looking at myself I put on the new outfit.


    I don''t know why but when I put it on I felt much more powerful and braver like I could take on the world. I tried out the canister on my back. I breathed out some fog which then went through the tubes into the canister. Then I lifted up thespray gunat the end of the hose and pulled the little trigger on it. Fog then shot out and soon the whole bathroom was covered in fog. I left the bathroom and started to think. My only weapon is disease so i should do a few tests.


    I then started with the canister. I learned that it could hold an indefinite amount of fog so I just have to breath and it will stay full. Next is my new skill. I learned I could put any disease together within my body at once before releasing it into the canister. I then started conjuring anything I could think of. Even made up diseases was made before being put in the canister. I made up a parasite that would enter through someones nose and head to the brain where it will then slowly rot the brain. The fog that came out had little spores floating in it. I then conjured anything I could think of. This is my only weapon for whatever is out there so I should do everything I can to survive. I soonran out of ideas then thought of combinig all of it then continuosly putting it into the canister.


    The mana is a pain though. It take 5 minutes to regain one mana point so I did a lot of waiting. But after a few hours I finished my testing and was ready. I removed the blockade and opened the door. Prepare whatever is out here, you are about to expeirence a disease ridden hell. I went down the hall with the spray gun in hand.

 Chapter 3

    I am a little worried right now. I have been through three floors and there are no signs of anyone or thing. I even peeked into other patients rooms and besides sometimes seeing lots of blood or a pile of mush there wasn''t much else. I won''t pretend like I don''t know what those piles are and I admit that when I first saw one I wanted to barf. Luckily the mask keeps the smell out and I could force myself to move on. But that''s as far as it goes.


    There wasn''t a whole arm around so I couldn''t help but wonder what happend. I started remembering a certain zombie show. I finally reached the fifth floor which has a storage space for medicine which would help me out. When I went to check it out the door was locked. So I had to force it open by getting a hospital bed and ramming it through the door. The door may be made of metal but the doorframe is made from wood. The reason it was wood and not metal was because of a recent incident.


    A few months ago some drug head rushed through the hospital until he reached here and blew the door down with a homemade bomb. Luckily he was pinned to the ground by a group of people until the police arrived so he didn''t take anything. But the walls were also damaged so they had to rebuild the wall and the wooden doorframe was put up for only a little while until they were done with the wall. So when I forced the door open it was real easy.


    The inside was practically untouched which was good news so I then made a little barricade in front of the doorway with random junk I found lying around so that I didn''t have to worry about the medicine disappearing. I continued going down floor by floor until I finally reached the first floor and saw a group of people. I was happy to finally see someone who might be able to tell me what''s going on so I approached them. But while I was approaching them I noticed something weird about them.


    They were just standing still like in a daze or something and a few feet closer I realized they looked weird. It looked like most of them were missing parts from their body. Then I saw their skin which had a weird color. It was greenish gray with patches of red here and there. When I was mere feet away from them only one word came to mind. Zombies, I know I made a joke about them earlier but did they seriously have to show up?If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Then a few turned towards my direction and looked at me. I was ready to run like hell was on my heels. I saw plenty of zombie movies to know about slow, fast, and mutated zombies and there is no way I can go against any kind of zombie when their in a large group like this. But the weirdest thing happened. They just left me be like I wasn''t there. I was confused beyond words as this action goes against everything I ,and probably every other person, know about zombies.


    I approached them slowly while keeping myself turned away a little in case I need to bolt. But they did nothing even if I touched one. I am so confused. I did something both brave and dumb. I walked right to the center of them. But still nothing happened. What is with these zombies? Is something wrong with them? I took a closer look at them but they looked like your average zombie with guts hanging out and chunks of flesh missing. Though I did realize one thing about them. Pretty much all of them were patients. They were all dressed in patient garbs though I will admit a few zombies were dressed as doctors.


    I thought about what this means and I came up with this scenario. When sh*t hit the fan and something attacked the hospital. The doctors made a bolt for it and the ones here were either trying to help the patients escape or were unlucky enough to be behind everyone else while they were escaping and got caught. Either way there were people who abandoned these poor guys and now they are like this. GOD I AM PIIIIIIISSSED. I mean, I have been here long enough to have met most of the staff working here. They all seemed like such nice people with their smiles. Except the janitor, he gave me the creeps.


    Alright calm down, calm down ... okay that helped. Now let''s start from the beginning. How did they turn into zombies? There is nothing else in this hospital as I started on the top floor and kept going down. Plus there are claw marks all over the walls and I doubt a zombie can make those. Maybe something else attacked that could turn them into zombies? Or something attacked and killed everyone then a zombie came along and turned them into zombies? Both are possible so let''s say it''s one or the other.


    Next is why they won''t attack me. Is it the outfit? I went a little ways away from the group and removed the gloves. Nothing, next was the boots. Still nothing. I proceeded to remove one article of clothing while keeping ready to run but they did nothing even if I was in my underwear. It might be something else that is keeping them from attacking me. I thought about what it could be while putting everything back on. Then it hit me. While I was experimenting upstairs I conjured a zombie virus.


    But there is a problem. I put that into the canister and I took that off. So why? Unless ... when I conjure something even if I put it in the canister it still remains in my body. Upon realizing this I fell on all four and sulked with my head down. I am now a walking plague that could kill you with a sneeze in your general area. I may be wrong but it makes the most sense. I just wanted to make myself healthy but instead I made myself so much worse. I stayed on my arms and legs and just sulked for a few minutes.

 Chapter 4

    After being pathetic and depressed for a few minutes I stood up and dusted myself off. What should I do now? Yeah, that''s right. Gonna act like that never happened. Anywho, if there are zombies here, there are more out there. So it''s a zombie apocalypse is it. Then what would someone do during something like this. Of course that would be to find shelter that a zombie can''t get into. Get your hands on anything that can be an effective weapon. Finally stockpile supplies like food, water, medicine. ...I am in serious trouble. I am in the largest hospital in America and there is tons of medicine here.


    (A/N: The largest hospital thing is correct. Maybe. Look it up yourself.)


    That means people will show up looking for the stuff. Now while the angel like thing to do is to share with them. The problem is that amongst those people would douchebags. You know cannibals, rapists, murders, and thieves those sorts of people. So who''s to say people like that won''t be the first to show up. I need to take measures. But what should I do?


    This is a hospital so things like guns, swords, axes, or missles are not likely to be here. Well the guns I think are actually locked I some locker in the security room. But I don''t know where that is. I may live here but that doesn''t mean I was given access to every nook and cranny. I don''t have time to look for the security room. I''ve been through these halls a thousand times and I even entered rooms I don''t usually enter a few minutes ago yet I still don''t know where it is. I was panicking a little since someone could show up at any minute and I wasn''t ready.


    I looked at the spray gun in my hand. I began to think this would work but I then shook my head. This thing only shoots fog and it might not last long after it is released from the canister. Though I did fire it earlier in the bathroom. I can use that to test what the fog can do. I pushed the zombies in front of all the entrances on the first floor but I soon remembered that when I opened the menu thing the canister and clothes came out. What if someone got something that could turn these zombies into piles of severed limbs.


    I took sheets from the beds and covered all the doors that had glass so if someone does show up while i''m upstairs they will get a nasty surprise. I know it''s mean but I plan to survive this world and to do that I can''t be all kind and caring. So I ran up the stairs to get to my room but after four floors I ran out of breath. I spent most of my life in a bed so my stamina wasn''t to good. I walked the rest of the way.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    When I got to my room I went to the bathroom and opened the door. Yep, thick cloud covering everything and can''t see a thing. So I proceeded to do stuff to it. I first threw a match I got from a zombie doctors pocket at the fog to see if it was flammable. It wasn''t. I then changed the temperature of the room to see if it precipitates or something. Still nothing. I then grabbed a fan went into the bathroom, pointed it towards the door and turned it on. I then left the bathroom and watched.


    While the fog did move around a lot it did not leave the bathroom. I went back in and moved the fan closer to the door then left. The same thing happened and I repeatedly moved the fan until it was out of the fog. It seems the fog stays wherever it is sprayed. That is really good news since I was worried that a gust of wind would render my only weapon useless. Though there must be some weakness that can be exploited with this thing.


    But i''ll cross that bridge later. Right now there is stuff I need to do. I ran back down stairs but I ran out of breath on the fourth floor down and walked. I passed through the zombies and went through the front entrance. I looked around at the city and saw many more dead bodies, fires in many buildings, and cars crashed into one thing or the other. I was shaking a little since I grew up in a peaceful time so seeing such destruction made me freeze up. But I collected my bearings and proceeded to work.


    I went around the outside of the hospital spraying the fog. I put a good amount in there but when I was 20 feet away from where I started I ran out. I breathed out more but I didn''t know if it would be enough. When I was about to continue I heard what sounded like leaves rustling behind me. When I turned around there was a tree with thick stick limbs and a face that looked like it was carved on the tree in front of me.


    It lifted it''s arm and swung at me but I was able to duck to the left making the arm sweep over my head. It sort of lost its balance and before it could regain it I pointed the spray gun at it and fired. The fog came shooting out and soon covered the tree. I heard it rustling around in there but I couldn''t see a thing and then.


    DING


    YOU DEFEATED A LEVEL 42 TREANT


    LEVEL UP X28


    NAME: VINCENT HAMILTON


    LEVEL: 29


    HEALTH: 87/87


    MANA: 124/124


    STRENGTH: 90


    VITALITY: 0


    AGITILITY: 88


    DEXTERITY: 86


    INTELLIGENCE: 98


    WISDOM: 101


    I ...I don''t know what to say. That tree was really that powerful? And I somehow killed it? Well I mean I have been putting every disease and parasite into the canister, but seriously? No no don''t split hairs. Just accept it and move on. Though I wonder if there is anything interesting on it. I enter the fog and felt the body. It was just bark and wood and it was crumbling in my hand. It''s body is surprisingly weak. Maybe that''s the fog or the level up. Since the was nothing interesting on it I started to walk away until my foot kicked something. When I picked it up it felt like a book but I couldn''t see it. So I left the fog cloud and looked at the book.


    SKILL BOOK


    ALCHEMY

 Chapter 5

    Right now I am sitting in the chief of medicines office thinking. The skill book is on the desk in front of me. I am just thinking of some things. The first is my vitality on the menu. It still says 0 even after I leveled up! I know it said it when I leveled up, but come on!! I just killed a walking tree with a face for god sake. I guess because of my crappy immune system it was zero and I further screwed myself with my conjuring skill. I hate to admit it but I hate my new skill.


    But there is nothing I can do now so let''s move on. Next is the tree that appeared. Before I just thought it was just the zombies. But that tree, or treant the window called it, puts everything in a new light. No matter how you look at it that was no zombie. So I can only assume things from make believe exist now. I just wish I knew how far away from normal we are. Now the book is up.


    From what I know alchemy is something like taking plants and making them into something. I didn''t play many video games growing up so this is confusing. I don''t even know what a skill book is. I mean, I get it has something to do with gaining a skill but besides that nothing else. I continued to think about the book for a few minutes. Alchemy makes things like potions and poisons I think. While poisons would normally be helpful to anyone I have my disease ridden breath and the canister so I have no need for the poison. Though the potions might help me.


    I remember a young male nurse say how he got a potion in a video game that could turn his character invisible. He also said he found one that could resurrect his character if he died. Maybe stuff like that can be found in the book. Well I guess reading it won''t hurt. I have food here and a bed with many blankets and pillows. I finished surrounding the perimeter after I grabbed the book so I don''t have to worry about intruders. Even if they get through the fog there is still zombie groups placed at every entrance. Which means I have a good security system.


    I will have to go out sometime but for now I need some sleep. I had a long day today so i''ll read the book tomorrow.


    *Next day*


    I woke up the next morning in darkness. I guess the power finally quit. I remember there is a generator in the hospital. But it''s on the lowest floor. I got dressed, went to the kitchen in the cafeteria and grabbed a quick bite and then headed to the stairwell. I went down until I reached the bottom. I looked in all the rooms. There wasn''t any bodies or blood so I guess not enough people were down here for something to come look for them. I located the generator but I didn''t have much first hand experience with technology. Luckily there was a sign on it that said how to start it up.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    When the generator was running I headed to upstairs to get some medicine. I take a shot every other day so that I can go to school. Now I need to stay in my best shape. When I reached the medical supplies I looked through the names until I found what they usually give me. I grabbed a needle and prepared everything. I knew how to do this because i''ve gone through it a thousand time. I put the needle in and injected myself but I then screamed and fell to the floor thrashing. IT BUUUURNNNS!!!!


    As soon as I injected myself I was in so much pain that I couldn''t think straight. It felt like my body was right itself from the inside out. For a good 30 min I was flailing like a fish. At the end I felt something about come up so I quickly took off the mask and threw up. What came out was really dark red sludge. What the?! I tasted blood in my mouth but seriously?! It shouldn''t be that dark or sludgy. This is weird, how did this happen? My best guess is the stuff in my body mutated and is messing with my body.


    BUT THAT IS REALLY DANGEROUS!! WILL I BE ALRIGHT?! I kept this up until I cooled off. So I am a medical mystery, stranger things have developed recently. I just sighed and went on with my day. Taking note that I shouldn''t take my shots anymore. I checked on the stiffs and they were still just standing around. I went to the directors office and picked up the book I left on the desk yesterday and started to read.


    It was mostly about what tools you will need and how to properly use them. Then near the end it talked about things like


    HEALTH POTION (weak)


    MANA POTION (weak)


    Poison (weak)


    Along with what ingredients I need which were actually common plants.


    DING


    SKILL RECIEVED


    ALCHEMY LV 1 (0/50)


    All of a sudden a torrent of info entered my head. Besides health and mana there is also one for stamina. There was much more but I couldn''t see it. The best way to describe this would be like when you have a dream and when you wake up you immediately forget the details but you know you had it, that sort of thing. It seems that it''s separated by level. Does that mean I will get better recipes if I level it? Maybe if I can max it I can cure myself of all this crap. YEAH, it''s decided that I will work my butt off to level this skill. I need to collect materials right now! I looked through the directors office and saw a old medicine bag. I can use this to carry the materials. With that I left the hospital.


    </a>(A/N: Here is the bag. I do not own this picture.)

 Chapter 6

    For the first month after the attack I mostly spent it making potions. Since this is New York I couldn''t really get much but the very basic of plants. Though there are plant shops around. It took me a week before I realized I should grow my own plants. I grabbed all the seeds I could find and a book on how to grow plants. I ran into a few monsters like goblins, orcs, slimes, and skeletons. The goblins and pig faced orc were easy to deal with but the slimes and skeletons were different. I found a weakness in the fog. It only affects living things, though i''m not sure if a slime counts as a living. Anyway, for those guys I had to run away. I went to a pawn shop I visited once and grabbed a weird sledgehammer they had. Someone probably realized it looked ridiculous and sold it here, lucky me.


    I knew a skeleton wasn''t easy to cut but it was easy to crush. The nurses liked to talk about the other patients and their accidents. They would also throw out helpful advice every now and then so that''s how I know. A slime probably wouldn''t be easy to crush but luckily the sledgehammer had these spikes coming out at the end so if blunt attacks won''t work I could stab them. Though it seems I didn''t need to worry. With my new strength I made the slime explode into bits. I was surprised at first but this is what happens when reality mixes with games.


    Anyway for the second month I was leveling my alchemy. I made health and mana potions like crazy. I tested the health potions and I learned I could drink them. The potions must be a whole other thing from medicine. It was after I tried my first health potion that I realized I wasn''t getting symptoms from the things I summoned in me. It took me a month to realize it but when I finally did you could see my surprise through the mask. I was beyond ecstatic since I don''t have to worry about falling into any puddles of stuff I made.


    I also learned one other weakness about the canister. The fog only stays for a month before it disappears. When I woke and found it missing I surprised but this was to be expected since if it stayed forever there would eventually be a problem. So I again surrounded the hospital. While I was doing it I found a few bodies. There were giant wolves that were the size of bears, a horse with sharp fangs, and a few human bodies. When I saw the human corpses I felt something. Like something was lost. I should be used to seeing the dead since I live with zombies. But these people were killed by something I made. I couldn''t help but feel down for the rest of the day.


    The third month all my plants were already fully grown. I know some needed longer to grow but I guess since the world changed the plants changed as well. I harvested some and used the others to grow more. I used the plants I harvested and made more potions. Then my alchemist skill reached level three. At level two all that happened was that when I worked with the plants the work was much smoother. That really helped since you have to carful with the ingredients the whole time. Due too much or too little of one thing and the potion can be ruined. Now at level three I have more recipes.


    DING


    POTION OF RESIST FIRE (LEARNED)


    POTION OF RESIST WATER (LEARNED)


    POTION OF RESIST EARTH (LEARNED)


    POTION OF RESIST WIND (LEARNED)


    POISON OF PARALYSIS (LEARNED)


    It seems the more carful I am with the ingredients the better quality potion comes out. Though that logic doesn''t seem to apply to every potion but for these resist potions that''s the case. I set to work on making these new recipes immediately. On the fourth month I saw many trees sprouting throughout the town. I mean, I noticed a few here and there over the months but now they suddenly multiplied. I don''t know the meaning behind it but I just accepted it and moved on.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    But the weirdest thing to happen since the world ended is happening. I am being followed. Not by people but by rats. I don''t just mean a few I mean hundreds. They have been gathering around me bit by bit until it became like this. I just tried running away at first but soon I was surrounded. Now usually I would run into the hospital ...but I am currently in the hospitals cafeteria. THEY GOT THROUGH THE FOG LIKE IT WAS NOTHING!! ARE THEY GOING TO EAT ME?! THEY REALLY COULD, A FEW ARE AS BIG AS A GERMAN SHEPHERD!! They started moving towards me.


    " NOO! STAY BACK!"


    When I shouted that the rats stopped. Umm ...why?


    " Take a few steps back."


    They did just that. They really are listening to me. Maybe something harder.


    " Get on your hind legs and do the cancan."


    They looked at me a little then started moving. I thought they were leaving but instead they got into 18 rows with smallest in the front and largest in back. Then they got on their hind legs and locked arms. Soon they started kicking their feet. ...HO ...LY ...CRAP. A ARMY OF RATS IS DOING THE CANCAN. I watched for a while and I was soon shaking. Not from fear or anything like that. I ...It''s just ... IT''S SO FUNNY TO WATCH. HAHAHAHA I NEVER THOUGHT I''d SEE A BUNCH OF RATS DANCING. AND THE CANCAN AT THAT!


    " ST ...STOP ...HAHAHA PLEASE HAHA!"


    I managed to say the words and they stopped. God that was awesome. I was about to pass out from laughter. I looked out at the rats to figure out what I am going to do. Well no matter what they will probably still follow me. Plus they seem to listen to my orders so maybe it will be alright if I use them. Just like that I gained a army of rats. I told them to leave my food, plants, and the zombies alone. They did as I told them and they found their own food. Though the number of crows around here is worrisome.


    The fifth month was exciting. Crows were showing up in droves and I kept raising my alchemy level like normal but that''s not the exciting part. The trees I mentioned that were growing everywhere got really big. Some of them could rival the buildings here. Because of that buildings began to fall both close and far from here. But no trees were growing around the hospital. I just chalked it up to luck since I long since gave up on understanding the mysteries of this world. The next exciting thing would be that a dragon appeared.


    The kind with legs, wings, and scales. It landed on the roof of the hospital and soon fell asleep. I noticed it when a slight tremor permitted the whole hospital. I was surprised to a dragon when I headed to the roof. It had green scales and it was four or five stories high. I am glad this hospital roof is strong enough to hold weight like that. In everything I know of that involves dragons they are strong creatures that are near the top of the food chain.


    I knew this was a good chance so I slowly creeped up towards it and when I was close enough to its nostril I took my spray gun and shot it right up the dragons nose. I put it on full blast and didn''t hold anything back. Over the months during free time I would read books in the hospital so I added a few new things to my canister. I also learned about surgery and other things. I tested it all out on the zombies. Anyway the dragon soon woke up and gave a loud cry. It started coughing and blood was coming up. It started scratching itself madly with its claws while thrashing around. Soon it stopped and fell sideways over the edge.


    DING


    YOU KILLED A LEVEL 472 EARTH DRAGON


    LEVEL UP X234


    NAME: VINCENT HAMILTON


    LEVEL: 263


    HEALTH: 621


    MANA: 735


    STRENGTH: 712


    VITALITY: 0


    AGITILITY: 679


    DEXTERITY: 646


    INTELLIGENCE: 871


    WISDOM: 993


    HELLLL YEAH! Look at that! I don''t go out and fight much so my level didn''t rise much. But god these numbers look good. I doubt many other people out there has killed a dragon. I rushed to reach the dragons corpse and when I got there it was lying there in a big clump. I went up to it and touched it''s scales. They seem really sturdy. Maybe if I find someone I can have them make it into a new hammer. I grew found of my hammer but it''s starting to get warned out.


    I think I will have have the dragon parts made into the same hammer design. I found I could peel off the scales with ease so I had the rats take each scale I peeled to a empty room. It took an hour till all the scales were removed and we reached the meat. I figured I could give some of it to the rats. I removed the flesh by hand and it was not easy. But I did it and then eat was put into two stacks both of which were taller than me. One was for me and the other was for the rats. I admit my pile had a little more meat but their rats, they don''t know that. I let the rats have their pile and it was gone in seconds. The rats numbers kept increasing and there are more large rats than when it started so I wasn''t too surprised.


    On the sixth month I was in trouble. I ran out of plants I can use for my alchemy. I need the rest to grow new ones so those I can''t use. I was in trouble but I just said I just need to wait and headed out. There is a forest where a city used to be. It''s insane how fast these trees grow but plants are also growing along with the trees. So I went into the forest with my medicine bag to collect more. But while I was looking for plants I found a glowing flower.

 Chapter 7

    The glow coming from the flower was aqua like it''s petals. I looked at it carefully before I picked it up. No matter how you look at it this isn''t of this world. Though thanks to my level seven alchemy I know I can use it for a potion. At level 6 I gained knowledge of many plants and what they were called. The flower is called tropical stem due to it''s color being like the sea in a tropical area. If this is here then new plants should also be showing up. I spent a little while looking through the mix of forest and city buildings. I was able to find a few thanks to the knowledge I gained from the alchemy skill.


    I found some near water, in stone, in trees and in humid areas. When I was in the humid areas I found that most of them are like that due to large machines still running. I was surprised to find machines still running after such a long time and before something can go wrong I turned them off. Now I was heading back to my home while thinking about the plants I just gathered. For the plants that need water I can fill a few bed pans up with water and set the plants in there. For the ones that need heat I have a few fire cores.


    I got them when I found a nest of fire wyverns and the cores were in there bodies. The cores produce heat and raise the temperature in the surrounding area. There is also water, earth, wind, and light cores. The water cores release a small trickle of water. The earth core makes plants grow slightly faster which I use to this day. The wind one releases a slight breeze and the light one just gives off some light which again I have been using a lot.


    Anyway as I was thinking of my plans for the plants I heard some yelling behind me.


    " WHY THE HELL ARE THE MACHINES OFF!!"


    I guess someone was maintaing those machines. Well that makes more sense than they have been running on their own for 6 months. But it has nothing to do with me, I need to hurry up and plant these. I thought while holding my bag. But soon I heard footsteps behind me.


    " HEY YOU!!"


    It seems they followed me. I guess one of them is a tracker or something. When I turned around I saw three people headed towards me. The one in front is a pretty boy with blonde hair, light armor, and a bow. Behind him was a giant with full body armor and a great sword. Bringing up the rear was a guy in a robe wielding a staff with a crystal at the end.


    " Can I help you gentlemen?"


    I asked. It''s been a while since I spoke to anyone yet instead of excitement I felt annoyance. I need to hurry up and plant my new findings. When I turned around they saw my attire and immediately stopped in place. I guess they were freaked out but I didn''t care. Then the pretty boy stepped forward.


    " Were you the one who turned off the machines?"


    " Yeah."


    " DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU DID?! YOU MAY HAVE DOOMED US!! WAIT I GET IT, YOUR PART OF DAIMONS GANG AREN''T YA!!"


    " Who''s daimon?"


    " DON''T PLAY DUMB YOU BANDIT SCUM! WITH LOOKS LIKE THAT IT MAKES SENSE! DAIMON PROBABLY SENT YOU TO SABOTAGE THE MACHINES! WELL YOU WILL DIE HERE! ATTACK!!"


    Then pretty boy backed away while taking out his bow and the guy in armor charged. The robed guy looked confused and flustered. The armor guy was getting really close so I fired my spray gun at the ground and I was soon surrounded by the fog. Metal man dived head first into the fog and started screaming. His companions hearing his screams paled while I ran to the mage. With my speed it took a second to reach him and I knocked him down. Then I took the end of my hammer and pointed the spikes at his throat.


    Pretty boy finally turned around and noticed his remaining companion then proceeded to shiver.


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    " Yo-you won''t get away with this. His majesty will wipe you and your gang off this planet."


    " Will you shut up already? BOYS!!! CHOW TIME!!!"


    Out of nowhere hundreds of rats showed up and rushed to pretty boy. He saw them coming and turned to run but realized he was surrounded. Soon they reached him and they soon finished him off. He didn''t have time to even scream before he became bones. When the rats were done they surrounded me eyeing the mage. I bent down towards him.


    " You have one chance to tell me why you didn''t follow your friends orders or you will be rat food."


    " O-okay, I didn''t attack since there was no proof you were a bandit. But he just assumed then attacked which surprised me."


    I thought about the reason before I backed away.


    " Fine, you can leave. But know that if you come after me for revenge I will let you have the same fate as them."


    " Thank you!"


    He said. I then went into the fog and dragged out the heavy looking knight with one hand while I held my bag in the other. It surprised the mage and I proceeded to leave. After a few steps I heard the mage speak up.


    " Where are you taking him?"


    " To my place. His body could be used to grow some plants that need a corpse."


    The mage shook some more before speaking up again.


    " Grow pl-plants? Then does that mean you are an alchemist?"


    I turned around and replied.


    " Yeah, so."


    " What level are you?"


    " Level seven almost eight."


    The mages jaw dropped. He didn''t speak so I left the area. I soon reached my home. A building that in the past helped numerous people but was now surrounded by crows and housed rats and zombies. If someone else saw this they would run without even getting close to it.


    On the 7th month I was proceeding as usually making potions. There have been more and more weird plants showing up. I put what I can in any empty rooms while the larger ones needed to be left behind. I wanted to put them on the roof. But it started to snow recently and they would not have survived up there. Even though it has snowed the crows won''t leave. When they take flight it''s like a giant black cloud is in the sky. Anyway while I was doing some things on the third floor I heard a window break.


    I then found a room with glass on the floor and a rock in the middle of it all. I peered out the window and saw about 70 people there. I saw a guy in the front wearing a large coat with two large swords on his back. He had a grizzly face with a buzz cut.


    "IS THIS THE PLACE?"


    For some reason he was yelling. Someone answered him.


    "IT IS DAIMON, SIR!"


    Seriously why do they have to yell. It''s annoying. Why does the name daimon ring a bell?


    " ALRIGHT, YOU ALCHEMIST WHO LIVES HERE! COME OUT AND GIVE US YOUR POTIONS! WE PROMISE TO NOT HURT YOU IF YOU DO!"


    I decided to reply while keeping away from the window.


    " WHAT WILL YOU GIVE ME IN RETURN!"


    It seems he didn''t like that reply cause this was his reply.


    " YOU SON OF A BI*CH! WE WERE GONNA LET YOU HAVE YOUR LIFE AFTER THRASHING YOU A BIT! BUT NOW WE''LL MAKE YOU OUR PUNCHING BAG! YOUR OUTNUMBERED SO SURRENDER!"


    I see, well since he won''t give me anything I guess I can have his corpse. The knight guy has dried out and since winter started not many creatures have entered the fog around the hospital. So I need more corpses for my plants. I went up to the window, pointed my spray gun at the group making sure it''s at full power. Then proceeded to dowse them. Screams soon rang out like a choir.


    I proceeded down stairs and headed to where the annoying people were. I ordered the rats to give me 2/3 of the bodies and they can have the rest. They brought me my corpses while they left the fog with satisfied looks. With this I don''t have to worry about my plants. Though I will have to board up that window.


    It''s month 8 and nothing note worthy happened. I reached level 9 in my alchemy skill and got 2 new recipes.


    DING


    POTION OF REGROWTH (LEARNED)


    POISON OF DEVOUR (LEARNED)


    The potion of regrowth makes someone regain a lost limb. It''s a slow and painful process but it will work. The poison though makes your body hunger. The antidote was revealed a level ago but not many get the chance to use it. That''s because of how ferocious the poison is. First you will feel an intense hunger. Then you will eat anything you can get your hands on. But when you run out of food your body will start devouring your fat. Then your muscles before consuming your blood and leaving you a dry husk.


    A fearsome poison indeed but I was excited. From what I can tell. There is only one more level before I know all the recipes alchemy can show me. The final level must have the key to curing me. Up till now all I got are beauty potions, resistance potions, health, mana, and stamina potions that kept gettting more and more effective, invisibility potions, potions that give you temporary strength or permanent strength at the cost of your life, and poisons.


    Not one can cure me of the things inside me. But soon I will be free of it.


    Month 9 I found a horse out in the snow today. I felt a little bad for it so I brought it back to my place. I could use it to carry more stuff and if it is useless I can cook and eat it. Food at the hospital has been dwindling so I had to start sending the rats out to find food. I had kobold, goblin, orc, and almost every animal. I just grill them over the flame cores and eat them. I had to carry the horse and crash into the window the bandits broke a while back since the fog would kill it.


    I then headed to the tenth floor and grabbed a deep red potion. I made the horse drink it and it soon collapsed while twitching. What I gave it was a potion made with my blood. I have been experimenting with my blood to find a way to cure myself and I found I can give other beings strength when my blood with some herbs is introduced to their body. Though they will be like me and be living with every virus in their body but I need strong subordinates. I went away and grabbed some leatherI would put on it and returned.


    After a hour the horse regained consciousness and looked at me. It then rubbed it''s head on me like it knew it should curry my favor. It nowhad agreen and black manewith green smoke coming off it. The same thing happened when I gave the potion to some rats. With this I don''t have to worry about the fog killing him and I will reach my destinations faster. I put the leather peices I got from various monsters on the horse and soon it was ready to ride.

 Chapter 8

    The horse really helped out when I needed to carry more than my arms ever could. Due to the requirements to level up I need to make double the potions than the previous level. At level 9 I need to make 12,800 potions to level up. I have been working my butt off since I reached this level. I started to sleep less and less just to make more potions. I learned to use fewer parts of herbs and plants to make potions and poisons. I just keep grinding, boiling, rolling, bending, and cutting all the plants in quick succession. Thanks to doing this for 9 months I am able to do what would take 4 sets of arms with my own pair.


    Day after day I kept on working nonstop. I drank who knows how many stamina potions and ate whatever the rats brought me raw. I didn''t have the time to grill it so I just ate the meat right off the bone. It took me 20 minutes to make the most complicated potion. I would send the rats to tell me which potion or poison I have the least of and they would bring a bottle of the stuff I have to few of. Then I would repeat that process every couple of hours.


    Now it is in the middle of the 10th month. I am only 5 potions away. Then a few minutes later only three more remain. A couple more minutes and now I just need one more potion. Three minutes later and I set down a potion that makes someone''s skin smooth.


    DING


    SKILL LEVEL UP


    ALCHEMY LV 10


    POTION OF IMMORTALITY (LEARNED)


    POTION OF INDESTRUCTIBILITY (LEARNED)


    POISON OF SOUL DESTRUCTION (LEARNED)


    Then the information about the recipes was revealed to me and how to make them. I stood still thinking about the information I just received. It doesn''t cure me but instead ensures I live with my diseases forever.


    " ha ...haha ...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA."


    I laughed like a maniac. Ten months working on the only thing that could cure me and in the end I did not get what I want. After working for so long only for you to fail will make anyone break down in some way.


    It''s been a few days since I reached the tenth level in alchemy but I didn''t use any of the new recipes. Mostly because I am missing one plant for each of them. But I would have only made the indestructibility potion. I know that immortality is a curse instead of a gift. Spending eternity alone while everyone you love dies. Possibly going mad at some point. That just doesn''t seem like my cup of tea. So I have been moping around all depressed about being a sick freak for the rest of my life. I don''t want to do anything but lay here in bed for the remainder of my days.


    Though in the end I got up. I figure I should just think about my options from now on. But I need to get out of here. Maybe take a stroll in the forest. I headed to the lobby on the first floor.


    " HEY ZENITH!!"


    In a few seconds the clip clopping of hooves could be heard and from the end of the hallway appeared the horse I took in. I had to give him a name since calling him horse was just annoying. When he reached my side he rubbed his head against me and I proceeded to mount him. We then headed out. I just roamed the forest with no destination. We went around giant tree roots. The trees grew to skyscraper heights and mushed most of modern society into tiny bits. The concrete simply resemble rocks now. Car parts have been mostly squashed or torn to pieces.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    I soon ran into a giant snake. It was as tall as a dragon but five times as long. It spotted me immediately and tried to swallow me whole. In the end it got a mouthful of fog and all I did was raise my arm.


    DING


    YOU DEFEATED A LEVEL 103 FOREST SNAKE


    LEVEL RAISED


    NAME: VINCENT HAMILTON


    LEVEL: 275


    STRENGTH: 743


    VITALITY: 0


    AGITILITY: 703


    DEXTERITY: 670


    INTELLIGENCE: 895


    WISDOM: 1,016


    Another level up huh. Well let''s just keep going. I no longer need a corpse to grow plants. I just left the giant snake behind and continued. I went to look out at sea. I stared at the horizon hoping to see something. But as nothing appeared after a while I just turned zenith around and headed back in the forest. I got a little ways in until I turned past a large root and discovered something. In front of my eyes was a camp with a few thousand armored people. Some wore robes while carrying staffs but majority had armor and melee weapons.


    They turned and looked at me. I stared at them for a few seconds before getting ready to leave.


    " STAY RIGHT THERE!!"


    Someone wearing sturdy looking armor yelled at me. I didn''t listen and started heading off.


    " I SAID WAIT!! MEN SURROUND HIM."


    " YES SIR!"


    I was soon surrounded by armored people while they pointed swords and spears at me.


    " WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! ANSWER ME!!"


    The man who seems to be the leader held a long sword at my neck. I had a horrible couple of days recently and now I have to deal with idiots. I got off zenith and prepared. I really need to blow off steam and these guys just simply ticked me off at the wrong time. Though I won''t kill them unless they come after me for revenge.


    " DID YOU HEAR ME?! I SAID WH-!!!"


    Before he could finish speaking I gave him a light punch in the chest. He was then sent flying while his armor shattered to pieces. The others were shocked at the spectacle but I just continued. I kept giving light punches and they kept flying. Blood soon covered my gloves but I didn''t care. After a few dozen soldiers were done in the rest tried to run. A few brave fools tried to attack me but I broke their weapons with my hands and they were zooming through the air soon after.


    I chased after the ones who were running and kept punching them. I then grabbed a guy in a robe by the chest and gave a right hook to the jaw. You could hear a slight cracking noise upon collision.


    " OKAY, PLEASE STOP!"


    A voice of authority was heard and I looked up to see someone in golden armor with blonde hair and a crown atop his head. My first thought is ego maniac.


    " Do you mind letting him go?"


    He said as he pointed at the guy i''m holding. I tossed the guy down then turned towards him.


    " Who the hell are you."


    " I am the king of rafsen. Marcus hert."


    " Never heard of you! Now what do you want."


    " Well I would like it if you could possibly explain why you are beating my troops into a pulp and who you are."


    " They were annoying so I just shut them up. As for who I am, well your decisions will judge whether I tell you."


    Marcus frowned slightly. Then a man in robes showed up from the crowd. He had a somewhat desperate face.


    " SIRE!"


    " Hmm? What is it coman?"


    " THAT''S HIM! HE''S THE ALCHEMIST WHO KILLED ZACH AND JONATHAN."


    " ...I see."


    He then walked towards me and stopped a few feet away from me.


    " I deeply apologize for what my subordinates have done and will accept any punishment."


    He looked sincere while saying that. I thought for a few seconds.


    " Bring me the loud guy from a few seconds ago."


    Marcus nodded and told his soldiers to do as I ordered. A few brought that annoying guy that wouldn''t shut up. He was unconscious after receiving my punch. They simply dumped him in front of me. I reached out to him and slapped his face a few times till he woke up.


    " Wah, huh?"


    It seems he didn''t understand what was going on. I had him stand up and made sure he was facing me. Then I punched him again and sent him flying. I think I heard a few ribs break. Luckily for him he passed out again. With a nod I turned towards zenith to leave.


    " Please wait!"


    Marcus stopped me.


    " Are you really a alchemist?"


    " Yes."


    " What level are you?"


    " 10."


    After I finished speaking everyone had a shocked expression.


    " Ar-are you serious?"


    Marcus seemed to have lost his composure after hearing my skill level.


    " Yes."


    " Can you perhaps show me."


    " Why should I?"


    " Cause hearing that your a level ten is unbelievable."


    I shrugged and brought up my status screen. There is no privacy so when you bring out your status everyone sees. Though you can choose between either showing your stats or your skills. But if you show your skills you show them all.


    " Yo-you really a-are level ten."


    He was dumbfounded for a second.


    " PLEASE JOIN MY PEOPLE."


    He shouted while begging. I don''t think a king is supposed to beg. I didn''t really need to think about this.


    " No."

 not a chapter, question

    Spoiler: Spoiler<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    Who should appear in the next chapter.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    1. Sexy Nurse


    2. beauty bit*hes


    3. cute step sister


    Since I don''t know how to do the poll thing please put the number of your choice in comments.If your choice does not make it don''t worry since all 3 will appear at one point or another.See you tomorrow.


    If you don''t do spoilers then just exit and see you tommorow.

 Chapter 9

    King Marcus was dumbfounded for a second.


    " PLEASE!!"


    " No!"


    " WHY?!"


    He looked like he was about cry. I wonder why he is so desperate.


    "The reason is simple. Thanks to that robed guy over there reminding me I realize that twice I have run into you people and twice have they pointed their weapons at me."


    Marcus seemed to have a face with a mix of regret and anger. He was clenching his fist so hard it shook. He is probably trying to still find a way to convince me.


    " I can give you food."


    " I already have that taken care of."


    " I can give you shelter."


    " My current place is far better than anything you can give me."


    " I can ensure your safety."


    That one is just sad. He must be grasping at straws.


    " I would like you to look at something."


    I then turned to all the soldiers I downed with my bare hands and pointed in their direction.


    " If something that had the power to kill me showed up than it could certainly kill you all in a second."


    King Marcus''s face looked like it was about to surrender. He simply had nothing I could want or need.


    " If that is all then I will leave."


    I want to leave quickly. They just want to use me for my skill. They didn''t even try to hide it. I don''t know why they would want my alchemy skill. But if it''s for the poisons then maybe I should wipe them all out. I looked at Marcus''s face but it looked like he couldn''t find anything to say. I turned around and headed towards zenith.


    " PLEASE WAIT!"


    That voice. It didn''t sound like Marcus''s nor male for that matter. But it''s so familiar. I turned around and saw someone coming out of the crowd. They were short about 4,8 and carried a butterfly wand. Their pink dress made her look like a doll while her pink hair had ornaments in it. But the strange thing is that her hair used to be blonde not pink. She walked up in front of me and I got a good look at her face. No doubt about it, my step sister lily is the one who appeared before me.


    " PLEASE RECONSIDER. A DISEASE HAS RUN RAMPANT AND OUR DOCTORS DON''T KNOW WHAT IT IS. WE ARE NEARLY OUT OF MEDICINE AS WELL. OUR ONLY HOPE IS FOR ALCHEMISTS TO MAKE THE CURE BUT THEIR LEVELS ARE TO LOW. PLEASE (sniff) ...HELP."


    It seems I unintentionally made her cry. My heart kind of hurt since I pride myself on being a kind brother. I always played what lily wanted to play so she would smile. Though in recent years I haven''t been able to see her much I always made sure to send her a text or call her. I bent down so that our faces were at the same height.


    " Hello lily."


    Her face showed slight surprise and confusion after I said that.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    " How do you know my name."


    She looked at me with some tears in her eyes.


    " How could you forget the person who got you bunbun."


    I said in a slightly hurt voice though I am just messing with her. Bunbun was a stuffed rabbit I got her one Christmas. She had a blank look for a few seconds before realization dawned on her.


    " B-big brother?"


    " Hey lily."


    She hesitated for a few seconds before jumping into my chest. She started crying while repeating big brother over and over. I hugged her back. I never thought I would see any of my family ever again. I realized a while back that chances were they are already dead. I am so glad I was wrong. We hugged for a few minutes while everyone else looked confused. Then lily stepped back and started questioning me.


    " Big brother, where have you been? Are you injured? Why are you so strong? What''s with those clothes? Why are you an alchemist?"


    She kept asking more questions until Marcus butted in.


    " Excuse me lily, but do you know him?"


    " Yes this is my step brother. Vincent Hamilton."


    " I see."


    Then lily turned to me.


    " Big brother will you please come with us?"


    She gave me a pleading look that always worked on me in the past. However...


    " I am sorry lily but I can''t."


    " Buuuut whhhhhyyy?"


    " I can''t trust them after what has happened and there is another reason."


    " What''s the other reason?"


    " I can''t tell you."


    I can''t say if I live with you one of the plagues I carry could run rampant and kill you all. If I did she would stick close to me to take care of me and possibly get sick. But I also really don''t trust these people. If I go with them I might wake up in a cell with a blade to my neck and a guy next to me saying make the potion, make the potion.


    " Please big brother. Most of us have fallen ill and a few already died."


    Lily started to cry again. She always wanted to help people so this must be hard for her. I leaned forward and whispered to her.


    " Lily, are these people good people?"


    She realized I just wanted the two of us to hear this so she also whispered.


    " Yes big brother. Marcus has saved many people from monsters and helps people plant seeds so we can get food and tamed some animals. In fact the reason we are out here today is to find this giant boar so we could have a feast since everyone has been gloomy when people started getting sick."


    " I see, lily what are the symptoms of the disease that is spreading."


    " Well first there is the feeling of ice on your skin. Then your whole body goes numb. Finally frost bite shows up on parts of people''s body''s. After that they soon die."


    She seemed sad when saying this. But this disease is something I know. It is something a ice wraith gives to people it passes by or to those who enters its territory. They always stay in cold regions though. I guess someone ran into it over the winter. I patted her head and turned to Marcus.


    " I refuse to go with you. But I am sure we can come to some sort of agreement?"


    " What do you want?"


    " Three things. First I want a one horse carriage to carry my supplies. Also someone who can make a weapon out of some materials I have."


    " What kind of materials?"


    " Dragon scales and bones."


    Both Marcus and Lily''s eyes grew big. Then Marcus spoke.


    " You have dragon materials?"


    " Yes."


    " Where did you get them?"


    " From a dragon I killed."


    Marcus''s face was still in shock. But lily started smiling.


    " Big brother is so strong!"


    Marcus upon hearing lily finally spoke.


    " I am afraid we don''t have anyone that can make a weapon out of dragon scales. But one of our blacksmiths is a high level. Give him some time to level up and he can make you a weapon."


    " Fine. I will wait on the weapon then. I will make a trip once a month to you with some potions. But you also need to tell me what potions you need two weeks in advance. The third thing I want is to get paid every time I make this trip."


    " What do you want to be payed with?"


    " Skill books."


    " Why skill books. If you want a skill we can have some people teach you."


    " No. I prefer reading the books. Listening to someone teach me is too slow."


    " *sigh* Fine but only one skill book a month."


    " Then I want to choose the book."


    " Deal."


    We shook hands and I led them to the hospital. I don''t have any potions on me so I will give it to them too take back with them. I was talking with lily while we were walking.


    " Hey lily."


    " Yes big brother."


    " What happened to mom and dad?"


    Lily had a sad look then replied.


    " A monster called a Cerberus attacked the house. Mom hid me in the hallway closet. Then I heard mom and dad scream. When I opened the door they were torn to pieces."


    She started to tear up a little. I put my hand on her shoulder.


    " It''s okay lily. I''m sorry I made you remember that."


    " No, you deserve to know. But it''s okay now since I still got you big brother."


    She showed me a smile but I knew she was forcing it.


    " Lily if you ever need someone to talk to you can always come to me you know."


    " I know, thanks big brother."


    We reached the hospital and I gave them the antidote for their problem. Everyone had to carry a crate of the stuff so that they would have enough for the infected. I told them that I will stay here until they send my wagon. Before they left I turned to lily.


    " Lily, I know we just met again and I want to still be there with you but I''m afraid that being around me would endanger you. So please, for now stay with them."


    I really wanted to be together with lily again but all I need to do is sigh and I could kill her.


    " It''s okay big brother. Besides, I saw your other skill."


    She must be talking about my conjure plague skill. It seems she''s the only one who noticed.


    " I want to stay with you and take care of you. But I know you are doing this for my well being. Just let me visit you, please."


    She gave me puppy eyes.


    " Alright alright, you can come whenever you want. Just don''t enter the hospital."


    Lily was happy with my answer and gave me another hug. Soon she and the others headed off and I was alone. Rats started appearing and surrounded me.


    " I want 100 of the smallest of you to keep an eye on her. If she is ever in any trouble than return here immediately."


    A hundred rats left the group. Lily is the only person in this world I care about. Even if I have to destroy every single living person I will make sure she is safe. I turned around and headed into the hospital. I have some plants to take care of.

 Chapter 10

    It has been a week since I met lily. I made some potions a common person would need and I cleared out a silghtly dark room for books. I heard books can get damaged by being exposed to light for too long so a made space for them in the lower floors. I planted new seeds so I should be able to make more potions soon. I ran a little low on plants during my alchemy grind so I won''t be able to make many right now. Thankfully I made a lot of potions recently.


    A week has passed and I am still waiting for may carriage. I have been thinking on what I should do from now on. Since alchemy was a bust maybe there is something else I could do. My first thought was to see if there was some other god out there I could get to notice me. But I literally only know the god of plague exists. I don''t want to spend the rest of my life praying to some god of wealth only for him not to exist. My next option was to find some item that might cure me.


    This is a no as well since the world is so big and if it does exist then it could literally be anywhere. It might even be right under the very bottom of this place and I would never know. Besides I would have to leave lily here and I would rather be here if she needs me. I then realized that I am only doing this so lily and I could be together without killing her. If I gave her one of the potions I made with my blood then not only would I be able to hang around with her and she would also gain more power.


    REJECTED!! I doubt anyone would like to have aids or herpes just swimming around in their body. Though thankfully I can''t have the symptoms appear. But it might be different for her. I might be able to make a potion for this but that is tough. Around level 7 I had that thought and went out hunting monsters with different stuff. Thankfully I gained knowledge on poisonous and diseased monsters in one of my level ups so I knew what to hunt. But any monster that didn''t carry poison or naturally make its own disease within its own body was a mystery to me.


    I hunted a few so when I took the parts that were the most spoiled ,as I like to say, and tried to make a potion for all of them that can cure them all at once. I tried putting all the potions that could cure both poison and disease into one bottle which I was going to dump on the monster parts but the end was not pretty. It exploded and I must say it hurt. It took three medium healing health potions to completely heal myself.


    When that failed I cut myself and collected the blood into a small jar. I seperated it into three different parts. The first one I poured all the potions that cure disease each in a separate bottle on my blood. The blood boiled then dissolved like it was touched by acid. The second one I mixed my blood with plants that could cure disease which I would then make into a potion but the plants died. I went a little insane and mixed fire with fire. The third bit of blood I mixed with the monster parts. But the organs just quickly decayed.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I don''t think a potion can be made for what I got. I sighed but the thought of making a new potion is attractive. Maybe I can make a potion that will bring someone back to life after they die. A resurrection potion would be something people would give almost anything to have. Alright let''s make a resurrection potion. I would need plants for the immortal and maybe the invincible potions. The fastest healing plants would be needed. Let''s throw in the strongest just in case.


    While I was thinking on my recipe for the potion I will create I heard a voice.


    " BIG BROTHER!!"


    Outside was lily on a wagon being pulled by a horse. When I saw the wagon I thought lily looked out of place. It had a dark atmosphere with skulls on it. She was getting closer to the fog so I quickly rushed out to stop her. When I reached her I was a little late. The horse pulling the wagon touched the fog and soon died. Lily stared at it a little before I yanked her off the wagon and took some distance from the place while carrying her.


    " Big brother, did you do that?"


    She pointed at the fog.


    " Yes. I did it to keep monsters out of the hospital. So if you touch it you will die."


    " I see. Your so smart big brother."


    I smiled at her because she is so cute. Though she can''t see it because of the mask.


    " Anyway big brother, we need potions for the sick and a lot of health potions."


    " I see, alright I will bring them down, can you put them in the wagon?"


    " Alright big brother!"


    Before we started I hooked zenith up to the wagon and moved it a bit away from the hospital. I put all the potions in these metal boxes then gave them to lily. I grabbed my bag and put some potions in it I would give as samples. We soon finished.


    " Alright, you ready lily?"


    " YEEESS! LET''S GOOO!"


    She seemed enthusiastic. We were soon heading to what the ego maniac called rafsen. On the way there lily kept talking about the place. She said that about 200,000 people are there. Most were already from here but the rest showed up from other cities and states. They first sent out a radio signal but when they ran out of electricity they made a lot of flyers and had a wind mage make a tornado that would send the papers up to a few states away.


    It wasn''t long before we reached the place. It was only 18 miles away. I was a little surprised we didn''t run into each other sooner. As we got closer I took a look around the place. The buildings were made of junk put together, partly destroyed buildings, and wood ones here and there. When we reached the place the people looked afraid of me. Well I am wearing a freaky outfit plus the carriage might make the intimidation multiply.


    Marcus showed up.


    " I see you had a safe trip."


    " Yes. I brought what was needed. I just need a place to park."


    " We cleared out some space in the middle of town for you."


    " Well then, I will follow you."


    He took me to a place in the middle of all these buildings with space for me. I took out some potions while lily started speaking.


    " EVERYONE THIS IS MY STEP BROTHER. HE IS THE ONE WHO GAVE US THE CURE WE BROUGT BACK A WEEK AGO. HE HAS A LOT OF POTIONS SO WE WON''T RUN OUT."


    After she spoke they just stood there. Then a few stepped forward and took some potions. Then slowly more and more stepped forward. Soon everyone crowded in front of my wagon. I showed the potions in my bag but I told them for these they would have to pay for. I was giving out potions for a hour before I finally ran out.

 Chapter 11

    When I finished handing out potions I was exhausted. I sold the potions in my bag and got some food and water out of it. Marcus came up to me.


    " Thanks for your help. Here is what we agreed upon."


    20 people appeared each carrying a skill book. There was a skill book for swords, axes, shields, blacksmith, archery, alchemy, etc. They didn''t have anything I would like so I just took the earth magic skill book. It might be able to help me with the plants. When I grabbed it the other books were taken away. I turned to Marcus.


    " Thanks for keeping your agreement. I will need you to return the bottles when I show up next month since if you don''t I will soon run out."


    " I understand. We will make your potions last for as long as we can until you return."


    I soon left but I made sure to say goodbye to lily. I ran into a few kobolds that attacked me but I made short work of them. I put their corpses on the carriage and continued towards the hospital. When I got there I had the rats take the kobold carcasses to get ready to grow plants. I need to wait for a while till I can make potions so I need to do something until then. I took out the skill book I got and started reading. I finished it in a few hours.


    SKILL LEARNED


    EARTH MAGIC LV. 1 (0/50)


    STONE BULLET (LEARNED)


    When I checked out the skill it was the same as the alchemy skill. I understood some of it while the rest was hidden. I went outside and tried out the stone bullet. What appeared was a pebble that shot off at extreme speed. It hit a tree and made a hole. But when I went up to it the hole was a a few centimeters deep. I guess if my enemy has scales or is extremely muscular or fat then the stone bullet is useless.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    But I found out I just need to keep using it to level the skill up. For the next couple of weeks I just used earth magic. I was able to just keep firing due to my mana being so high. When I ran out I took a nap and my mana was full when I woke and I would continue firing. With each level up I would learn new spells and previous spells would gain more power behind it. I learned how to make bogs, how to soften or harden dirt, make dirt take shape, cause earthquakes at level 9, then I reached level 10.


    DING


    SKILL LEVEL UP


    EARTH MAGIC LV 10


    CREATE GOLEM (NORMAL) (LEARNED)


    CREATE GOLEM (LARGE) (LEARNED)


    CREATE GOLEM (GIANT) (LEARNED)


    I can finally relax. This has taught me the more mana you use in a short time the more headaches you gain. This is the downside of having a lot of mana. I don''t know if the headaches will go away if I just keep using mana but I don''t wanna find out. I looked at my new magic spells. It seems the 10th level gives dirt sentience. The normal golem is about my size with enough strength to be called a bodybuilder. The large golem is double my size with muscles that makes one think of a bulldozer. The giant golem is just under a dragons height. It basically looked like a giant boulder.


    I was a little down since I thought earth magic might help me with my plants. But now I can summon an army. I guess I get both a gain and a loss to this deal. I need to talk to Marcus about finding a skill book that might help plants grow. Anyway, I headed inside and the plants were ready. I made some potions but not many since Marcus''s people have a good amount of my bottles.


    When I finished with the potions I realized I had nothing to do. I am scheduled to go to that rafsen place in just over a week. But from now till then I have nothing to do. I stood around till I decided what I will do for now. I will go after the plant needed for the invincible potion. From my knowledge this plant needs to live through a thousand battle fields. That is the troublesome thing about this plant. Who the hell fights in the same exact spot a thousand times. I can''t use people as my guess is there isn''t enough numbers for this.


    Animals and monsters are also pretty scarce around here. What can I have fight that would cause a battle to keep occurring a thousand times? Then a thought hit me.


    THE SEA!!! THEY HAVE TONS OF LIFE IN THE OCEANS!! IF I USE SOMETHING AS BAIT I CAN GET WHATS IN THE WATER TO FIGHT NONSTOP FOR IT!


    I then grabbed a plant called fan needle. It''s like a miniature tree. But the leaves look like hand held fans and is sharp like steel. It is one of the few plants that can become the plant I need. Platinum bark is the plant used for the invincibility potion and this fan needle has the potential to become it. I just need bait and a way to keep the plant safe. This is gonna be hard.

 Chapter 12

    I wondered the forest looking for something that will attract things in the ocean. On the few occasions I was by the ocean I could faintly see way off in the distance something large surface and move with great speed before splashing into the water with such strength that the waves it made reached where I was. The things out there are big. I mean really freaking big. So I would need something as large as a dragon to cause 1000 battles.


    Well more like 3 dragons. I won''t fool myself into thinking that one carcass will make it through so many fights unharmed. Though finding a dragon is difficult but not impossible. I see them flying around occasionally but they are kind of small. What I need is another one of the dragons who landed on my roof. Though since I haven''t seen one that size since then he must have been a special case or something.


    I could use the tiny dragons but they are a bigger payout when they are bigger. After a while I decided to use wyverns since they are numerous in number. They are 1/3 the size I need but if I can get around 20 then they should get the job done. Though since my trip is coming up then I would have to hold off until after after that. I need a place for the fight. The water around here is put simply disgusting. There is so much trash and sewage around here that I don''t even want to get splashed by it. I know it''s been months since the sewers were last operating right and no one has been throwing trash in there recently but still.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Out in the middle of the ocean is a no go. The depth is too deep and I still don''t know what''s out there. I thought for a while before a idea struck me. There was a certain island 550 or so miles away. There is supposedly a great treasure hidden there and a whole tv show was based around it. My adventuring spirit has started to become active. Maybe I will find what many before me has failed to find. Now I just need to figure out how to keep the plant safe.


    Maybe pile rocks on it and put it on the ocean floor. Nah, if just one thing crashes into it the plant will be destroyed. I can''t go down with it and protect it since no matter how powerful I get I can''t hold my breath that long. Maybe put it on a boat? Denied, all it would take is for something to think the boat is food and I can say goodbye to the plant. I went through more ideas that wouldn''t work out before giving up.


    I headed towards the ocean and looked out at sea. A giant shark half the size of the Empire State Building jumped out of the water. How am I supposed to keep a tiny plant safe from something like that. If only I had a certain shark killing sheriff by my side. But I am all I got. So what to do, what to dooo. I looked over and saw a old fishing boat. I linked that to fishing and had a great idea. I could put the plant in a safe, tie steel cables or something around the safe, and then toss it in the ocean. If something eats it I can quickly yank it to land.


    Lately I have been getting pretty confident in my strength. But I would need strong metal for cables. I will have to get a blacksmith of rafsen to make that. I now have a plan to work with. It may not be the best plan but it''s all I got. I need to find a safe, some metal scraps, and pack enough food for the trip. I also still need to make potions for that egotistical king. I may have to pull a few all nighters. With that done I went around looking for what I need.