Endo leaned back against the knotted trunk of an ancient tree, his damp forehead catching the golden rays filtering through the forest canopy. His campfire crackled in quiet defiance against the cool evening air, sending thin trails of smoke spiraling upwards. Resting on the fire was a dented pot, its contents—a strange, bubbling brew of unpronounceable herbs—filling the clearing with a sharp, earthy aroma. His hands were sticky with sap and crushed leaves, and a few of the herbs lay haphazardly around him, their shapes and properties still a mystery to him.

“I don’t know how the NPCs do this,” Endo muttered, glaring at his bubbling concoction. “They just wave their hands, sprinkle a little herb-dust, and voilà—healing potions. Meanwhile, I’m out here making energy drinks for squirrels.”

He looked down at his inventory: a handful of herbs, some dried, others fresh, most of them unidentifiable, and a few half-filled bottles of what could generously be called potions. It had been a long day of collecting, mixing, and testing, with little to show for it other than a sore back and an embarrassingly long list of failed attempts. Still, he wasn’t ready to give up. In Aethera, he’d learned that stubbornness often led to great rewards. If other players could do it, surely he could too.

Endo glanced at the small journal he had started, filled with notes about the plants he had found—though most of them made little sense. He’d written down things like “Yellow herb = jittery legs?” and “Green leaf = better jumping, but too much = unexpected dive into river.” One entry even had a half-hearted sketch of a plant he had half-drowned in his last attempt at brewing something. His level, currently at 8, seemed to mock his lack of success, but his spirits remained high. His new job as a Traps Master had been an unexpected bonus, and his experiments with arrows had yielded some promising results.

“Alright, experiment number… what is it now? Eleven? Let’s try this again,” Endo muttered, half in determination, half in resignation. He flipped to a blank page in his journal and tapped the quill against it, ready to note down either triumph or disaster.

He selected three herbs from his collection. One herb stood out—a tall stalk adorned with Crimsonveil Petals, its edges shimmering faintly in the filtered light, like moonlit silk. Next, a small bush bearing Duskbloom Flowers with vibrant purple petals exuded a cool, minty aroma. Lastly, he reached for Ironroot Stalks, their thorny, yellow-green exterior hinting at their rumored stamina-boosting properties.

After a moment's hesitation, Endo set the Ironroot aside. "Maybe later," he mused, deciding to keep things simple for now.

He studied the remaining herbs laid out before him, his brow furrowed in both concentration and mild exasperation. "Crimsonveil for energy and Duskbloom for... minty freshness. What could possibly go wrong?" With a dramatic shrug, he tossed the trio into the pot, their vibrant hues dissolving into a chaotic swirl. Grabbing his flask, he added stream water, watching the concoction darken to a murky brown. The herbs bobbed to the surface, their vibrant reds and greens dissolving into a muddied swirl of murky brown. The steam carried a sharp, bitter scent, stinging Endo’s nose and making his eyes water slightly.

“Come on, little herbs. Do your thing,” Endo whispered, his voice dripping with a mix of hope and sarcasm.

He stirred the brew with a stick, and the water slowly turned a murky brown, filling the air with a pungent aroma. It was hardly the calming, herbal fragrance he’d expected, but he was too far in now to back out. The fire flickered behind him, casting strange shadows on the nearby trees. He could feel the heat from the flames on his back, the fire’s crackle and hiss echoing his own bubbling frustration. His stomach growled, but Endo was far too focused on the task at hand to consider food.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of mixing, the concoction was ready. Endo stared into the pot with a mixture of anticipation and dread. He had a good feeling about this one—maybe it wouldn’t turn him into a squirrel or set his hair on fire.

With cautious optimism, Endo dipped a ladle into the liquid and poured a small amount into a wooden cup. He inhaled deeply before taking a sip. The taste was horrendous—bitter, sharp, and oddly metallic. He recoiled slightly but resisted the urge to spit it out. Just like those NPC potions, right? Just a little bit of unpleasantness for the benefit of healing…

He waited.

He raised the wooden cup to his lips and hesitated. For all he knew, this concoction could knock him out cold—or worse. Bracing himself, Endo took a cautious sip. At first, there was nothing. Then, the effect hit him like a wave.

+30 stamina

The effect wasn’t subtle—it slammed into him like a runaway cart. His muscles buzzed with raw energy, his pulse hammered like a war drum, and his legs... well, they had a mind of their own. It wasn’t a healing sensation at all. It was something else—something raw and uncontrollable.

“Oh no,” Endo said, eyes wide, as he suddenly felt his legs working too fast. He stood up from the ground, and before he knew it, he was sprinting across the clearing in a wild, out-of-control burst.

The ground blurred beneath him as he ran faster than he had ever moved before. His vision spun—a chaotic blur of trees, grass, and sky. Before his brain could catch up to his legs, he slammed into a massive oak with a resounding thud. For a moment, the forest seemed to echo in sympathy, the leaves above rustling as if laughing at him.

“Ugh! What was that?!” Endo groaned, holding his head. His body still pulsed with unnatural energy. The sprinting continued for a moment, as though his legs had a mind of their own, carrying him a few more feet before he was able to stop.

“Congratulations, me. I’ve invented squirrel adrenaline. Side effects may include tree collisions and questionable life choices.” Endo muttered, half-grinning despite himself. His stamina was off the charts—he didn’t even feel winded. His heartbeat raced in his chest, but it didn’t hurt. He couldn’t stop grinning.

This might not have been the healing brew he was after, but it certainly was… something. His hands shook slightly as he scribbled in his journal: “Herb #1: Crimsonveil Petals. Effect: Grants an uncontrollable burst of speed. Caution required. Further testing needed.”

Endo took a moment to catch his breath, rubbing his temples as the excitement of his unexpected “stamina boost” slowly wore off. He still felt energized, but the sense of urgency had passed.

Endo leaned back against the tree, his body still thrumming with the aftereffects of the first concoction. The rush of energy was fading, leaving him feeling both exhilarated and slightly cautious. "Maybe I'll give my legs a break before I turn into a human pinball again," he muttered, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

After a few minutes of catching his breath and letting his heartbeat settle, he turned his attention back to the herbs. Determined to test another combination, he reached for the small bush with purple flowers. The minty scent was already starting to fill the air again.

“This can’t possibly make me run any faster than I already am,” he mumbled, still half in disbelief about what had just happened. He broke off a small section of the bush, crushed it between his fingers, and tossed it into the pot. Stirring it carefully, he added a little more water and set it to boil.

“I’m going to get this right. I’ll make my own healing potions, just like the pros,” he said to himself, trying to stay hopeful.

As the brew bubbled away, Endo mused about how strange it felt to be playing Aethera like this. It was as if he had discovered a whole new level of immersion—forget the combat, forget the usual strategy of leveling up. This was real experimentation, trial and error, and it felt more like a science experiment than anything else.

The potion was ready. Tentatively, Endo poured a small cup of the new liquid.

It shimmered faintly—a bright green with specks of gold. He sniffed cautiously, catching an earthy scent with just a hint of something sweet. His nose crinkled, but it was far less pungent than the first brew.

“Well, here goes nothing,” he muttered, raising the cup with equal parts hope and trepidation. He just hoped it wouldn’t send him into a hyperactive frenzy—again.

He took a sip.

For a moment, there was nothing. But then, the effect hit him like a wave.

+7 dexterity

Endo felt his body lighten, his movements more fluid. His joints unlocked, his muscles stretching with an effortless ease that he hadn’t known he was missing. His agility soared. He felt quicker, more nimble. He could practically feel the air around him. The world seemed to slow down, and he found himself reflexively soaring through the forest, letting arrows fly at imaginary enemies as he danced around the trees in a zigzag pattern.

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“Whoa,” he muttered, grinning despite himself. “Okay, this is more like it.”

But as his legs seemed to work faster than he could control them, he misjudged his next step, colliding with a low branch. The impact wasn’t enough to hurt him, but it sent him tumbling toward the stream he had used earlier. In a scramble to right himself, he ended up splashing into the water, cold and disoriented.

“Okay. So, maybe not all of my tests are successful,” Endo said, sputtering as he climbed back out. He wiped his face and looked down at the journal.

“Herb #2: Duskbloom Flowers. Effect: Incredible dexterity, but too much speed for comfort.”

Endo shook his head, laughing to himself as he made his way back to his camp. “Maybe I should take it slow with these herbs. But then again, when has ‘slow and steady’ ever worked for me? This was my game, my rules. And if that meant testing every herb in this forest, so be it.”

His mind raced with possibilities. Maybe healing wasn’t just about restoration—it was about balance. After all, what good was healing if you couldn’t avoid getting hit in the first place? But still, the idea of crafting a true healing brew lingered at the edge of his thoughts, tempting him like an unsolved puzzle. That was the real prize, and he wasn’t about to give up until he cracked it. The right mix of energy, agility, and endurance could turn him into a force to be reckoned with. This wasn’t just trial and error anymore—it was the start of a method. If he could isolate effects and document them properly, he could create something truly unique. Discovery, Endo thought, might just be his greatest strength in Aethera. He could experiment with healing—something to mend the bruises he had just collected in his testing. But there was something else too, a growing realization: this was the beginning of something bigger.

This wasn’t just about healing—it was about potential. If a haphazard mix of herbs could boost his stamina or dexterity, what could a deliberate recipe achieve? The forest wasn’t just a resource; it was a playground. And Endo had only scratched the surface. What kind of wild concoctions could he come up with next? Only one way to find out.

One thing was for certain—Aethera had just become a whole lot more interesting.

Endo sat cross-legged in front of his small campfire, a pile of herbs and plants scattered around him. The glow from the fire danced off the smooth surfaces of his basic crafting tools, and a faint scent of something medicinal lingered in the air. He took another careful sniff of his latest concoction—this time, a mix of two unfamiliar herbs he’d found near the foot of a rocky hill just that morning.

“Please, please just work this time,” Endo muttered under his breath, lifting the flask to his lips. He hesitated for a moment before tipping it back and swallowing the brew.

The moment the liquid slid down his throat, his vision blurred, and a strange heat surged through his chest like a fire igniting. His muscles seized up, forcing him to grip the ground for stability. “Oh, come on!” Endo gasped, the flask falling from his trembling fingers. “That’s definitely not supposed to happen!”

He quickly noted the effects in his journal. His once-useless scribbles had now evolved into detailed observations of how the different herbs reacted with each other. But nothing so far had been as reliable as the standard potions he’d purchased in the town. At least those had a clear effect. These herbal concoctions were all over the place.

He rubbed his temples, feeling the aftereffects of the brew—his agility felt off, like he had just sprinted a marathon in the wrong direction. With a groan, he dropped back onto the grass, giving the potion a few minutes to wear off.

“Maybe I should’ve mixed in the duskbloom, or… I don’t know.” He sighed, then scratched at his chest, the strange heat still pulsing through his veins. But despite the unpredictable nature of his brewing attempts, a small part of him was excited. Even if he hadn’t found the right healing potion yet, these plants were doing something. And that something was intriguing.

While he was lying there, staring up at the canopy of trees, the glow of the fire dimmed slightly. His mind wandered back to the books he had skimmed over in the library of the town. It was clear there was more to herbs than just applying them directly to wounds. He needed a deeper understanding, something that might unlock more potential in these wild plants he kept experimenting with.

He rolled onto his stomach, propping himself up with one elbow. His mind flashed to a book he had found tucked between the dusty shelves in the local shop: The Guide to Herbal Crafting and Beyond. Maybe that would help. It certainly had potential. The next time he was in town, he made a mental note to ask around for more resources, possibly even a teacher or a herbalist who could guide him.

As he prepared to gather the scattered herbs around him, Endo’s screen flickered briefly, followed by a gentle chime. He blinked. It was a notification, something he hadn’t anticipated.

Notification: New Job Unlocked: Herbalist!

Herbalist Skills Gained:

* Basic Potion Crafting (+5% effectiveness on healing and mana potions).

* Herb Identification (Improved accuracy when selecting ingredients).

* +3 Herb Gathering Efficiency (More yield from gathering plants).

Recipes Gained:

* Basic healing potion

* Basic mana potion

Endo’s heart raced a little as he stared at the screen, rereading the message. He quickly glanced over the job description, his thoughts tumbling over themselves.

It wasn’t a healing job per se, but the notification made him feel validated—his chaotic trials and error-filled experiments had somehow led to this point. It wasn’t just him picking plants. He had started to understand them, to intuit what they could do. And now, the game recognized it.

“Finally. I can start making real progress,” he said aloud, his voice quiet but confident. There was still so much to explore with herbs. But now, he knew he had a clear path.

He quickly checked his inventory, seeing several new items added to the list: a handful of freshly identified herbs, the basic recipes for the potions he’d dabbled with, and even a note about how to combine certain plants to create healing salves. He felt a surge of pride. His first official recipe—healer’s tonic. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start.

With a newfound excitement bubbling inside him, Endo set about preparing a new batch of potions, using the herbalist’s skill set to improve his results. He no longer just dumped random ingredients into a pot. Now, he carefully selected his plants, focusing on the ones known to boost stamina and healing.

As he worked, an idea popped into his head: What if he could use herbs not just for potions, but in more complex ways? Cooking, for example. He’d seen NPCs preparing meals that boosted stats before. Why couldn’t he do that too? His mind began racing with possibilities.

Endo leaned over his makeshift campfire, staring intently at the sizzling pan in front of him. The fresh monster meat, still warm from the hunt, crackled as it hit the pan. He had watched countless NPCs prepare meals in Aethera, but he’d never paid much attention to the details of how they mixed herbs, spices, and ingredients. Now, with his new job as an Herbalist and an insatiable curiosity, Endo was determined to figure it out for himself.

His previous attempts had been far from successful—his first herb-infused brew had been an explosion of flavor and unexpected consequences. But this time, things felt different. Now that he had unlocked the Herbalist job, he had access to a few recipes and some guidance on which herbs were more likely to complement each other.

The meat sizzled away as he reached for the first herb. He grabbed a sprig of something green he had found in the forest that morning—a potent herb with a slightly bitter scent. According to the journal he had discovered, this was a Quickroot herb, known for its ability to temporarily boost stamina when consumed. That could come in handy, especially if he needed to stay alert during a tough battle.

Endo crushed the sprig between his fingers and sprinkled it onto the meat, watching the faint steam rise as the herb made contact with the sizzling surface. The smell was strong but inviting, a mix of earthiness and sharpness that filled his nostrils.

“Okay, one herb down. Let’s see what happens when I add a little bit of this.” He reached for another herb, this one bright red and slightly pungent—a Firethorn, known for its ability to increase agility and sharpen reflexes. He carefully added a pinch of the herb to the pan, watching as the meat turned a shade darker, and a smoky fragrance filled the air. It was becoming clear to him that combining these herbs in a dish could result in some potent effects. But he had no idea what else he could expect.

Endo stirred the concoction with a wooden spoon, swirling the herbs and meat together. He could feel the heat intensifying as the herbs released their oils into the pan, giving off an almost fragrant smoke. But the smell wasn’t just enticing—it was powerful. The combination of the Quickroot and Firethorn created a spicy aroma, one that made Endo’s stomach growl in hunger. He had no idea how the dish would taste, but the effects were beginning to make sense.

For a moment, he hesitated. He’d been experimenting with herbs and brewing potions for hours, but now he was dealing with food. Cooking was a whole different challenge, one he had never really tried before. His thoughts turned to the NPCs who had always seemed so skilled at cooking. He imagined the people at the tavern or market who could craft incredible meals that gave players buffs. Could he do it? Could his creation actually help him during his adventures?

The sizzling continued as he thought through his next move. He knew that it wasn’t just about mixing herbs into food—it was about balancing the effects. After all, he had witnessed NPCs making dishes that not only tasted great but also restored health, stamina, or even enhanced combat abilities. He wasn’t trying to create a five-star dish, but if he could concoct something useful, something that would help him survive longer in the wild, then it would be worth the effort.

Endo decided to add another herb, one he had found deep in the woods near a shimmering pond. It was a delicate, pale-blue flower called Moonblossom, known for its ability to cool the body and help with fatigue recovery. He hadn’t used it in any potions yet, but based on its description, it seemed like it could add a refreshing touch to his growing dish. He crushed the petals gently, releasing their delicate scent into the air, and tossed them into the pan.

As the pan’s contents darkened to a rich brown, Endo raised an eyebrow at the red flecks of Firethorn. “Looks like I accidentally invented a curry from hell,” he muttered, waving at the fragrant smoke and trying not to sneeze. The savory scent of the meat melded with the sharpness of the herbs, creating something complex yet oddly harmonious. It was no longer just food—it was becoming a potion of sorts, combining the elements of healing, stamina, and agility into something he could consume.

Endo carefully lifted a small spoonful of the concoction, looking at it with cautious optimism. “Here goes nothing,” he muttered to himself, bringing the spoon to his lips.

The taste hit him immediately—a burst of intense flavors, with the Quickroot giving it a sharp, earthy kick, the Firethorn providing a spicy kick, and the Moonblossom leaving a cooling aftertaste that was both refreshing and calming. The combination was jarring at first, but as he swallowed, he could feel the warming energy spreading through his body. His muscles relaxed, and he felt a slight tingling in his limbs, as though his body was recharging.

“Not bad,” Endo said to himself, a grin forming on his face. “It’s definitely strange, but it works.”

He let the dish cool for a moment, considering what to do next. His thoughts turned back to his inventory, which now held the items for the Herbalist job. There were specific recipes for healing potions and stat-boosting tinctures—sure, those would come in handy, but cooking could be just as valuable. And, unlike potions, food was something he could consume more often, and it didn’t require the same level of precision. Food was about balance—about bringing ingredients together and trusting in the process.

He took another bite of the dish. The effects were subtle at first, but soon enough, he could feel his stamina increasing, his energy levels returning to normal. It wasn’t a huge increase, but it was noticeable. He felt like he could go on exploring longer, or even face another group of monsters without immediately running out of breath.

Feeling a sense of accomplishment, Endo sat back and took a moment to reflect. He glanced at his inventory once more. The new recipes from his Herbalist job were now a part of his crafting knowledge, but something else caught his eye—an option for a Chef job had now become available.

“Chef, huh?” Endo raised an eyebrow, curious. Cooking was something he could get behind. The idea of using food to augment his stats, to create something even better than simple potions, sparked his interest. But he wasn’t quite ready to dive into that just yet. The dish he’d made tonight had worked, but it had been a bit of a fluke—trial and error, mostly.

As he cleaned up his cooking area and tucked the leftover meat into his inventory, Endo realized that cooking was no longer just a way to pass the time. It was a powerful tool. He had unlocked a whole new aspect of the game, one that could complement his existing abilities and skills. Now, he just had to figure out how to refine it further.

The road ahead shimmered with possibilities, each herb and experiment a stepping stone toward mastery. Endo’s lips curled into a grin as he leaned back, staring at the star-speckled sky. He wasn’t just surviving Aethera—he was learning its language, one strange brew at a time. There were still so many herbs to discover, so many combinations to try. Maybe the next dish would be even better, or maybe he’d stumble onto something that would enhance his traps or arrows.

For now, though, Endo was content. As the night deepened and the stars began to twinkle above, he leaned back, his stomach pleasantly full. It wasn’t just a meal he had made—it was a new chapter in his journey.

“Well,” he said softly to himself, a grin spreading across his face, “let’s see what else I can cook up.”