Chapter 48: Potionist

A week later, Ryan finally arrived at Myrioge, one of the largest cities on the second floor of the Origin Tower.

The city was famous throughout the second floor for one particular reason.

It was known as the City of Potionists.

Myrioge was home to countless potion shops, alchemy workshops, ingredient markets, and organizations dedicated to potion-making. Climbers from different regions regularly visited the city to purchase potions, sell rare ingredients, or learn more about alchemy.

Unlike other cities that mainly catered to specific races or combat classes, Myrioge welcomed everyone.

Humans, elves, dwarves, beastkin, and numerous other races could be seen walking through its streets. Many of them possessed natural affinities that made potion-making easier, and some races even had unique talents that gave them an advantage when handling particular ingredients.

Elves were often gifted in handling plants and nature energy, while certain beastkin possessed excellent senses that allowed them to identify rare ingredients. Dwarves, on the other hand, were well known for their ability to create specialized equipment used in alchemy.

Of course, these were only general advantages. A person’s actual talent still depended on their individual abilities.

As Ryan passed through the city gates, he couldn’t help but look around with interest.

The streets were crowded, and the air carried a mixture of herbal scents. Shops displayed colorful bottles filled with potions of different grades, while vendors loudly advertised rare medicinal plants and monster materials.

Some stores even had dedicated testing areas where customers could examine the quality of potions before purchasing them.

Ryan noticed several buildings with signs related to potion-making. Some belonged to private workshops, while others were branches of well-known organizations.

He had visited many cities during his exploration of the second floor, but Myrioge was different.

Almost everything here revolved around potions.

"This place really deserves its reputation."

Ryan continued walking, observing the various shops as he made his way toward the central district.

However, he hadn’t come here simply to browse the markets.

He had a specific goal in mind.

After perfectly looting the Serendipity Witch Doctor, Ryan had obtained a tremendous amount of potion-making knowledge through Perfect Loot. The knowledge had already been integrated into his mind, allowing him to understand numerous recipes, ingredients, and techniques that would normally require years of study.

He had also acquired several potion-making skills.

Yet, despite possessing all that knowledge, Ryan had never formally studied potion-making or obtained the recognition of a Potionist.

He wanted to change that.

There were several reasons for his decision.

First, he wanted to test the knowledge he had acquired. Although Perfect Loot had granted him the Witch Doctor’s accumulated knowledge and abilities, he still needed practical experience to understand how effectively he could apply them in different circumstances.

Second, he wanted to obtain an official Potionist qualification.

Potionists were in demand almost everywhere in the Origin Tower. Powerful Climbers needed potions to recover their health, restore mana, remove harmful effects, and improve their combat abilities. Even wealthy organizations with powerful members required a steady supply of potions.

As a result, a recognized Potionist could find opportunities in almost any city.

Ryan didn’t necessarily intend to make potion-making his primary profession, but there was no reason to ignore such a valuable opportunity.

After all, he could create potions for his own use, prepare special mixtures for his summons, and sell any excess products if he needed money or resources.

More importantly, an official qualification would give him access to Potionist facilities, ingredient suppliers, professional knowledge, and other benefits that ordinary customers might not enjoy.

Considering how much potion-making knowledge he already possessed, obtaining the qualification seemed like a worthwhile investment.

Ryan opened his system interface briefly and checked his newly acquired skills.

Several potion-making techniques from the Serendipity Witch Doctor were already available to him. He also possessed knowledge of numerous recipes, including some that required rare ingredients and advanced equipment.

The problem wasn’t a lack of knowledge.

He simply needed to put it into practice.

"Let’s see how much of this knowledge I can actually use."

After asking a few locals for directions, Ryan headed toward the Potionist Association.

The association occupied a large building in the central district. Its exterior was constructed from pale stone, and several towers rose above its main hall. Colorful glass windows displayed images of potion bottles, herbs, and magical plants.

A steady stream of people entered and exited the building.

Some carried baskets filled with ingredients, while others wore the distinctive clothing of professional Potionists. A few Climbers could also be seen leaving with boxes of potions purchased from the association.

Ryan entered through the main doors.

The interior was even larger than he had expected.

The entrance hall contained several counters, each responsible for a different service. One handled membership applications, another accepted ingredient sales, and several more dealt with examinations and professional certifications.

There were also display cases containing potions of different grades.

Ryan glanced at them as he passed.

Most of the potions on display were ordinary products, but a few were of considerably higher quality. He could identify their basic ingredients and approximate effects almost immediately.

Thanks to the knowledge obtained from the Witch Doctor, he could even recognize several subtle differences in their preparation methods.

Some of the potions were perfectly acceptable, while others could have been improved through minor adjustments to their ingredients or brewing process.

Ryan didn’t comment on them.

He had come here to obtain a qualification, not to criticize other people’s work.

He approached the membership counter, where a young woman wearing the association’s uniform greeted him.

"Welcome to the Myrioge Potionist Association. How may I help you?"

"I’d like to register as a Potionist."

The woman smiled politely.

"Certainly. Have you already obtained a Potionist qualification, or would you like to take the certification examination?"

"I’d like to take the examination."

"In that case, please provide your identification and complete the registration process. Once your application has been accepted, you’ll be able to take the appropriate assessment."

She handed him a registration form.

Ryan filled it out and returned it with his identification.

The woman checked the information before looking up at him.

"Is this your first time applying for a Potionist qualification?"

"Yes."

"I see. The examination will assess your ability to identify ingredients, understand potion recipes, and prepare potions according to the required standards. The specific difficulty will depend on the qualification you’re attempting to obtain."

She briefly explained the different grades available.

Ryan listened carefully.

He hadn’t come here simply to obtain the lowest qualification possible. Since he already possessed extensive potion-making knowledge, he wanted to see how far he could go.

However, he also understood that theoretical knowledge and practical ability were not always the same thing.

Even if he knew how to prepare an advanced potion, he still needed to demonstrate that he could do so reliably.

"Before I decide, could you tell me how the examination works for someone who has never registered before?"

The woman nodded and began explaining the association’s examination process.

Ryan listened without interrupting.