Chapter 180: Zarokun

Leo wanted to test out the table right then and there, but he held back.

"Let’s wait until later."

"First, I’ll check the other cards."

He turned away from the Mad Alchemist’s Table and went back to his bed. He had quite a pile to sort through: one Legendary Card, four Epic Cards, and a stack of Rare , Uncommon and Common Cards .

Leo grabbed the first Epic Card from the top and read its description.

[Epic Card — Zarokun’s Golden Ape Bloodline]

[Description:]

A powerful bloodline inherited from Zarokun, the Golden Ape.

Zarokun was once an ordinary golden monkey that lived deep within an ancient mountain range.

Unlike other creatures of his kind, Zarokun possessed an endless desire to become stronger.

He challenged every powerful creature he encountered.

He fought wolves, giant beasts, mutated monsters, and even creatures far stronger than himself.

Each battle pushed his body beyond its limits.

Each defeat made him stronger.

Each victory brought him closer to the peak.

After countless battles and near-death experiences, Zarokun’s bloodline underwent a transformation.

His golden fur became brighter than sunlight, his body grew immensely stronger, and his physical abilities surpassed the limits of ordinary beasts.

Eventually, Zarokun became known as a Legendary Ape, a creature feared even by powerful monsters.

This card contains a portion of his bloodline.

[Bloodline Abilities]

[Golden Ape Physique]

Greatly increases physical strength, durability, and recovery ability.

[Battle Instinct]

Enhances the user’s combat instincts and ability to react during battle.

[Ape King’s Might]

Temporarily increases physical strength and explosive power when fighting a stronger opponent.

[Unyielding Will]

The user’s physical potential increases through repeated battles against powerful opponents.

[Golden Blood]

The user’s bloodline gradually becomes purer as their strength increases.

"Huh?"

Leo stared at the card, comparing the fierce golden ape in the picture to his own expectations. He brought up his interface.

"System, if I use this, will I be able to turn into that golden ape?"

[Host, the results are unknown.]

[You might gain the abilities of a beast superhuman.]

[You might simply grow more body hair.]

[There is also a possibility that your hair might turn blonde.]

[The results are unknown.]

Leo’s face went flat.

"...That’s not very reassuring."

He tossed the card to the far side of the bed. There was no way he was going to risk his humanity just to test out a monkey bloodline.

Leo reached for the second Epic Card.

[Epic Card — Spirit Mountain’s Ape Clan Spirit Wine Gourd]

[Description:]

A special gourd used by the Ape Clan of Spirit Mountain to brew Spirit Wine.

[Basic Spirit Wine Recipe:]

Ripe Bananas

5 Spirit Fruits

3 Aether Herbs

1 Spirit Spring Water

Place all the ingredients inside the gourd and seal it.

The gourd will automatically refine and ferment the ingredients, producing Spirit Wine.

The quality of the Spirit Wine depends on the quality of the ingredients used.

Spirit Bananas are the main ingredient and cannot be replaced.

Higher-quality bananas and spiritual ingredients will produce stronger Spirit Wine.

The longer the Spirit Wine is stored inside the gourd, the stronger its effects will become.

Spirit Wine can increase physical strength, recover stamina, and slightly improve the body’s ability to absorb Aether energy.

The gourd can continuously store and refine Spirit Wine as long as sufficient ingredients are provided.

Leo studied the text.

"Is this basically a wine maker?"

He gave the description another read.

"Well... if it’s an Epic item, I guess it has its uses."

Then the recipe caught his eye again.

"System, what are Spirit Fruits, Aether Herbs, and Spirit Spring Water?"

[Ding!]

[Host, Spirit Fruits are fruits grown on trees that have absorbed Aether from the atmosphere.]

[The Aether gradually changes the trees, causing their fruits to develop unique properties.]

[Similarly, Aether Herbs are ordinary herbs that have absorbed Aether over a long period of time.]

[The amount of Aether absorbed and the type of herb determine their properties.]

[Spirit Spring Water is water from a spring with a naturally high concentration of Aether.]

[It can be used as an ingredient for brewing various potions and refining special materials.]

Leo gave a slow nod.

"So basically, they’re all resources that have been affected by Aether."

[Ding!]

[Correct.]

Leo looked down at the Spirit Wine Gourd card one more time.

"I see..."

"So this thing is basically a magical wine maker."

Satisfied, he set the card down next to the first one and moved on to the third Epic Card. As he read the description, a spark of genuine interest showed on his face.

[Epic Card — Spirit Garden]

[Description:]

A mystical garden created by an ancient cultivator to grow Spirit Fruits, Aether Herbs, and other plants containing supernatural energy.

The garden contains fertile Spirit Soil, a small Spirit Spring, and an environment rich in Aether.

Plants grown inside the garden absorb Aether from the environment, allowing ordinary plants to gradually evolve into Spirit Plants.

The quality of the plants depends on the quality of the seeds, the amount of Aether available, and the time they are allowed to grow.

[Abilities]

[Spirit Soil]

Provides fertile soil capable of supporting the growth of Aether-rich plants.

[Spirit Spring]

Creates a small spring containing Spirit Spring Water.

[Aether-Rich Environment]

Maintains a high concentration of Aether within the garden, accelerating the evolution of plants.

[Plant Growth]

Allows Spirit Fruits, Aether Herbs, and other supernatural plants to grow inside the garden.

[Garden Expansion]

The size of the Spirit Garden can be increased by using additional resources.

Leo grinned when he reached the bottom of the text.

"This could actually be useful."

He could grow his own Spirit Fruits and Aether Herbs instead of hunting for them in the wild. That neatly solved his biggest problem with the Spirit Wine Gourd: the ingredients.

Leo set the garden card aside and picked up the last Epic Card. The title alone grabbed his attention.

[Epic Card — Spatial Expansion]

[Description:]

A special spatial card capable of expanding the internal space of a designated compartment.

When activated, the card permanently increases the usable space within the selected compartment without changing the external appearance of the vehicle.

The expanded space remains connected to the original compartment, creating additional room without increasing the vehicle’s external dimensions.

[Ability — Spatial Expansion]

Expands the interior space of the selected area.

The amount of space that can be added depends on the grade of the card and the structure of the target compartment.

[Note]

The card can only be used on a suitable enclosed space.

Once activated, the spatial expansion becomes a permanent part of the structure.

Leo stared at the golden text for a few beats.

"Another Spatial Expansion Card?"

His thoughts went straight to his truck. The first expansion had already made the interior far more comfortable to live in. If he applied a second one...

The possibilities started clicking into place.

"Just when I was wondering where to put the Spirit Garden..."

He turned the card over in his hand.

"This card came at the perfect time."

A wide smile crossed his face.

"It’ll definitely come in handy."