-Alex's POV-

"Hmm, well then I guess it's time to make the final preparations for the dungeon. After all, If I didn't use my knowledge, then that would be just absurdly stupid."

Making his way through Star City, Alex made his way to the ever so popular building, the auction house.

However, this time he wasn't here to make a scene instead he was here to spend his money. He had way too much money for one person at his level base.

So spending that to make himself stronger was the right thing to do and Alex knew this.

Searching the listed items Alex reduced the parameters to what he needed.

Herbs.

The herbs that he was trying to buy though were a bit more expensive since they were rarer, nothing too insane, being priced at around 3 gold each.

The flaming stalkgrass.

Either way, Alex bought every single herb that was on the market without batting an eyelid. After all, he had amounts of gold in the thousands what was a couple hundred to him.

That said, Alex was very much so a stingy person, he wouldn't just waste money without a purpose.

"Look, OMFG what happened, why did all the stalkgrass vanish."

"Which guild is monopolising those trash herbs? Has some guild made a godtier recipe?"

"Nah dude, one of my friends said that the grass part of the herb actually tastes nice, trust me."

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Alex left the auction house pretty much straight away, as too not bring any unwanted attention. Not that he cared but right now he was on a timer to get things done.

Some brainless idiots provoking him at this time might just cause him to do something non child friendly.

Alex kept walking until he came to another popular building inside the outer city of Star City.

The Alchemist Guild.

The building was 6 stories tall and was one of the most prestigious places in the entire City. Alchemists were without a doubt respected and rated highly by any power big or small.

There wasn't many who could get away with annoying the guild in the entire lower realm. Why because mainly if you messed with someone of their guild they would hit you with the ultimate card.

'Blacklisted!'

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

In his past life Alex had seen the struggles of players who couldn't hold their tongues against lower rated alchemists only to have higher rated masters get involved and blacklist them, only for them to regret when they needed potions for dungeon runs and other adventures.

Also, Alex might have been one of those players at one point but we won't talk about that.

Let's just say at one point he was made to supply his own potions. Which in hindsight was about to make Alex profit.

'I guess what they do say, it doesn't rain for ever, is true.' He thought as he smirked to himself while entering the building.

He walked past the queue since he really wasn't one to wait around. Slipping into the front of the queue.

Putting a pouch of gold on the front desk, "I'll take one upper room on the second floor for 2 hours." He confidently announced.

Of course he wasn't plain dumb to jump the queue without reason, that would just lead to him getting thrown out.

He however, had one thing others didn't, [City Lord].

"As you wish Esteemed One." Handing Alex a token with a number of 47 on that correlated to the room on the second floor. "Enjoy your.."

"Hold up! Jackass there's a queue. Get to the back." A tall bulky man dressed in robes interrupted the attendee behind the desk.

"Many thanks!" Alex said as he took the token and carried on his way not paying any mind to the man behind him.

"Douchebag!" The bulky man voiced in anger towards Alex.

'Haha I really am a douchebag but come on queue's.' He thought as he made his way to the alchemy room.

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Alchemy was a very broad subject and to be honest Alex was by no means an expert. He had the knowledge of thousands of potions and what they did, as well as herbs to go along with it.

However, when it came to actual Alchemy he wasn't that experienced compared to Blacksmithing for example.

That said right now, out of all player Alchemists he would definitely hold the title for number one.

"Shall we begin then." Alex talked to himself.

Placing 15 flaming stalkgrass' on the table, he neatly separated them all awhile taking some common grade herbs from the corner of the room and arranging them as well.

This was one of the reasons he paid for a room on the second floor. He didn't have to go out and collect these himself. They were supplied for him thanks to paying some extra money.

Next, Alex grabbed the mortar and pestle and began.

Taking the common grade herbs he crushed them up carefully and methodically. Paying attention to the procedure all along the way. Herbs weren't just meant to be randomly grinded and crushed. They had to be approached differently and combined correctly.

Otherwise you'd end up creating poison instead of potions.

After spending 10-15 minutes on the process he was ready for the next stage.

Creation!

Firing up the cauldron he watch the flames and evenly distributed them across the cauldron. Once it was hot enough and reach a degree, high enough to turn the herbs into liquid form, Alex started to added the herbs.

One herb after another was added all up until 9 different types of common grade herbs were added. Right now, Alex knew that the mixture he was creating didn't have anything to do with the potion he wanted to create but that would change right now.

The only herb he didn't crush was the Flaming Stalkgrass.

Why? That's because it was to be directly added.

Throwing the herb into the calmly burning mixture was like awakening a dragon. The room soured in heat as the mixture caused a violent reaction. Alex's job right now was to guide the reaction.

Injecting Mana across the cauldron he controlled the flames and the essence of the Flaming Stalkgrass. Impurities, burned and threatened to mix but Alex picked away at them with his Mana as he burned them again and again.

After a while the mixture calmed down before it turned into a gentle flowing liquid at the bottom of the bowl.

Taking that liquid out the cauldron, Alex stored it into a Alchemy Flask before sealing it.

[Congratulations! You have crafted Intermediate grade Fire Resistance Potion x1].

[Gained 5000 XP for crafting a new first time potion.]

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[Note: the first time potion only applies to the players. NPC's still can craft these and do but they are more expensive and rare.]