Chapter 151: Alchemy Grocery Store

(A massive chapter of over seven thousand words, haha! Now that the holidays are here, I will try my best to update more for you all. After all, you are the motivation that keeps me writing! Please, leave some comments!)

The turmoil surrounding the academy incident gradually subsided, and the Stevenson Magic Academy began scheduling additional measures to screen for non-supernatural threats.

The Blade of Night established a special task force to handle entities like the flesh-roots—things that lacked supernatural power but posed extreme hidden dangers. These members, drawn from the Scavenger units and integrated into action squads, proved well-suited for the role thanks to their extensive experience in post-battle cleanup and investigation.

The Royal City returned to a state of calm. Undercurrents still swirled, with major families and factions preparing for the upcoming redistribution of seats in the Council of Elders. Alliances were formed and shattered, but at the very least, on the surface, the city had regained its usual balance of stability and chaos.

The sabotage plans from Seoventane seemed to have hit a temporary lull following the failure at the academy. Although both the Blade of Night and the City Guard treated the incident with great gravity and increased patrols, they failed to catch any further movement from the numerous Seoventane sleeper agents.

The situation on the front lines remained lukewarm. The reports reaching the city merely detailed a few skirmishes, losses, and gains. The residents, having heard essentially the same news for a year, had long since grown numb.

Newspapers, which had sold well during the early stages of the war, now struggled to find readers. Weekly reports barely sparked any conversation in the city, and the chatter among adventurers and guild members in the taverns had reverted to pre-war topics: how much money they had made or the latest eccentric gossip about the nobility.

In this atmosphere of superficial peace, another half-month slipped by—a date that held special significance for Wang Yu, Avia, and the Church of Nightfall.

Edward, Wang Yu, and Charles, members of the special operations team, arrived at Black Street No. 7 in the Shadow of the Royal City.

Returning to this place, Charles and Edward were struck with awe. Buildings of all sizes had sprouted around the street, their styles clashing wildly. That was what happened when various races lived together; after all, it was impossible to make a vampire and a dwarf feel comfortable in the same type of architecture.

Charles looked around in astonishment, his head full of questions. He could not reconcile the current Church of Nightfall, which had completely taken over Black Street No. 7, with the tiny congregation Wang Yu had once described—a group that could only expand its space into the cliffside at the very end of the street.

Although it had only been a few months since he and Edward last visited, the territory of the Church of Nightfall had undergone a complete transformation, and the number of members seemed to have exploded.

"What the hell is that? A bugbear? I thought books said those things were mindless! Why is it holding a sign and writing?" Charles’s eyes widened as he pointed at a bugbear using a brush gripped in its claws to paint shop signage. He tugged at Edward’s shoulder armor in disbelief.

"Stop pulling. That’s just your own ignorance, though... I do remember it being like that, actually." Brushing off Charles’s hand, Edward noticed the writing bugbear as well. While he wasn't as flustered as Charles, a bugbear writing was indeed a rarity.

"Hmm, let me see..." Wang Yu’s memory matched what he had told them before. Bugbears were no different from bears; they were only called bugbears because they possessed some goblin blood.

This gave them limbs slightly similar to a goblin’s, resulting in a bear with a somewhat humanoid form. However, they hadn't inherited any of the goblin’s decent intelligence. Forget writing; perhaps as a trade-off for their slightly more flexible limbs, their brains were even less functional than a regular bear’s.

"Oh, there’s a fairy hiding on that bugbear’s neck. Actually, not hiding—it’s just sitting on its neck. It’s too small and the fur is too thick, so you couldn't see it." Wang Yu suppressed his ripple-enhanced perception to a minimal range and scanned the area, discovering the fairy woman who was likely the bugbear’s owner, sitting on its neck and directing its work.

"Ugh, why would a fairy like living in this dark underground? Oh, I get it..." Charles felt inexplicably disappointed after hearing Wang Yu’s explanation, though it was hard to tell if he was disappointed because he hadn't seen a rare, intelligent bugbear.

He muttered a complaint about why a graceful, beautiful race like the fairies would come to the Shadow of the Royal City, but he quickly realized the Church of Nightfall’s enclave wasn't dark at all.

The congregants had made their own lamps to line the streets. Various types of lights flickered in different colors, blending together to make the enclave quite bright—magic crystal lamps, night-luminescent stones, gas lamps, flame flowers. Some of the more obscure lamps might even fetch a high price from those who had never seen them before.

Ultimately, the Church of Nightfall was truly bizarre. They worshipped the Lady of the Night, a deity representing darkness and the night, yet their enclave lacked anything related to darkness; it was bright as day.

"I remember this place used to be occupied by one of the gangs in the Shadow of the Royal City. It wasn't developed much because it was remote and right next to a cliff, but it looks like it belongs entirely to the Church of Nightfall now?"

Edward’s focus was much more grounded than Charles’s. When they last visited, the Church had relied on the Lady of the Night’s hidden protection to build on that small patch of land at the edge of the cliff, or simply built scaffolding to expand space beneath it. But now, all of Black Street No. 7 clearly belonged to them.

With a tone of admiration, Edward walked along, observing the thriving streetscape and asking Wang Yu about it. He had to admit, the mixture of different races made the street feel fascinating.

"Well, the Church of Nightfall actually has significant combat power. The demi-humans who were hunted because they were alone aren't weak; in fact, their combat ability is above average. Once they gathered here, their collective strength couldn't be anything but formidable."

"Before I was here, the gang that occupied Black Street No. 7 tried to target the Church. A conflict broke out, and Emon the orc led everyone in a charge that completely shattered the gang members."

Wang Yu found it amusing to recall the scene of chaotic battle the Lady of the Night had conveyed to him.

Massive magical plants burst from the ground, spurred on by druids and fairies. Thick-skinned orcs and dim-witted swamp monsters charged at the front, while werewolves, vampires, and other night-kin lurked in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to drag gang members into the darkness to be obliterated.

Goblins and elves fought side by side; the elves fired arrows while the goblins threw alchemical bombs. In truth, those guys dealt the most damage. The street wasn't large, and the narrow terrain allowed those unreasonable alchemical bombs to perform perfectly.

Not to mention the lady who spent her days lounging in a chair in front of Wang Yu—or rather, Avia’s—alchemical shop, keeping watch. The result was a complete rout. The street changed masters, and the Church of Nightfall became a recognized power in the Shadow of the Royal City.

Later, due to the Blade of Night’s promotion of dual-god worship, some of their members even moved here. Partly to expand the Blade’s influence in the Shadow, and partly because they were genuinely attracted to this faith—or perhaps just this interesting church. There were many prosperous church towns, but the Church of Nightfall was truly unique in its complete lack of a somber religious atmosphere.

"Just ahead, the usual spot." Wang Yu pointed toward the end of the street near the cliff. He was much more familiar with the situation here than Edward or Charles; after all, he held the title of Archbishop. While it was mostly a nominal title, he had been quite diligent regarding the church’s development.

"Hehe, Miss Avia’s alchemical shop. I’m so curious what’s inside. You promised a discount, don't go back on your word!" Charles ran ahead of Wang Yu, emphasizing the discount Wang Yu had once casually promised.

"Fine, fine, no problem. You and Edward get twenty percent off forever. Though... well, maybe 'alchemical shop' isn't the right name anymore. Maybe 'alchemical general store'? Doesn't sound very classy, but that’s what it is. Oh, Charles, it’s good you’re here—there’s something I have for you. It’s what you deserve."

Wang Yu nodded casually, agreeing to the discount, and remembered the item he had prepared for Charles, mentioning it as they walked.

"What? Something for me? There’s such a good thing? You’re not lying to me, are you..." Charles eyed Wang Yu with suspicion, but of course, he couldn't read anything from his expression, which only deepened his doubt.

"Enough, when has Wang Yu ever cheated you? Why are you doubting him? Keep moving!" Edward gave Charles a hard slap on the back, sending him stumbling forward a few steps.

"Well, actually, he has..." Wang Yu didn't say it, but he had indeed cheated him—once when he tricked the 'One' possessing Charles, and again when he used Charles as a test subject for the Lady of the Night’s Night Sky Tree.

Charles, who had been about to retort to Edward, shut his mouth because they had arrived. A crowd had gathered, and there were many familiar faces: Emon the orc, Vena the elf, Elliot the goblin, Holo the dark elf and his family, and several old-timers who had joined when the Church was first founded.

"Oh, oh, Archbishop."

"Mr. Wang Yu."

"Mr. Wang Yu is here."

"Alright, alright, get ready."

The crowd chattered as they looked at Wang Yu. Most believers didn't know he was an Archbishop, as it hadn't been publicized, but the early members knew, and they held a strange sense of respect for him.

"Congratulations on the opening!"

"Congratulations!"

"Remember the discount for the grand opening!"

"That’s right!"

"What are you saying? But I agree!"

...

The chorus of congratulations, mixed with some strange comments, expressed their joy for the opening of the shop owned by Avia.

"Thank you, haha." Wang Yu smiled and walked toward the shop, which had been mostly built last year but delayed until today due to various matters.

"Click, click, click..." The mechanical metal door of the shop opened, revealing a well-appointed interior. Neat shelves were stocked with various goods, categorized into different sections, clearly priced, and labeled with detailed descriptions of their functions.

Wang Yu was the first to enter, greeted by Avia’s radiant smile. "Welcome!" she said, full of energy, offering a greeting to Wang Yu, her first "customer."

It was clear the girl was truly happy. This alchemical shop, which she and Wang Yu had planned for so long, had finally opened its doors today.

This didn't just mean Avia could use her alchemical skills to bring in income for her and Wang Yu; more importantly, the value of alchemy—a field the girl loved—was being realized in this shop, which, while not large, was significant.

For Avia, being able to continue the study of alchemy, a subject she was skilled at and passionate about, was worth celebrating. Many of the items here were crafted by her own hands in the workshop beneath the shop.

"Well, if you have any needs, you can just tell our staff." With a hint of a smile, Avia introduced the shop to Wang Yu, and by extension, to the members of the Church of Nightfall, Edward, and Charles who were watching from outside.

"Uh... are you sure these staff members won't scare people or cause trouble?" Wang Yu looked at the staff member who had walked over, wearing a suit and tie, and his tone was hesitant.

"It’s fine. Although these staff members are basic skeleton soldiers summoned from the Undead Plane, after having special necromantic magic circles inscribed on their bodies, they are fully capable of handling customer requests. After all, I can't be here every moment, so I rely on them when I'm away."

"Besides, Wang Yu, don't you think these staff members are actually quite ordinary in our Church of Nightfall?" Avia blinked, looking at Wang Yu as he stood face-to-face with the skeleton, her smile impossible to suppress.

"Fair point." Wang Yu looked at the skeleton, which was making a welcoming gesture in a well-tailored suit, and then looked at the crowd of monsters and ghosts outside. Yes, in a place as diverse as the Church of Nightfall, an undead shop assistant was hardly worth noting.

"Please show me the new alchemical weapons." Wang Yu knew Avia would find someone to help manage the shop, but he hadn't expected skeletons. Satisfying his curiosity, he made his request to the skeleton assistant.

The two balls of soul fire in the skeleton’s eye sockets vibrated, seemingly understanding his meaning, and it led Wang Yu toward one of the shelves.

Marveling at the wonders of magic—that necromancy could create skeleton soldiers akin to robots—Wang Yu followed the assistant. Avia welcomed the others inside, and the guests began browsing the goods with the help of other skeleton assistants.

Looking at the alchemical weapons arranged from top to bottom, Wang Yu thought that selling these to the Church of Nightfall to further boost their combat power was a great idea.

Revolvers, shotguns, and rifles—no longer powered by gunpowder but by special alchemical fuel—were lined up in the cabinets. The top rows held the firearms, while the bottom held standard and specialized ammunition: incendiary rounds, armor-piercing rounds, acid rounds, anti-magic rounds...

This cabinet of powerful alchemical weapons was the result of Avia’s upgrades to the prototype from the academy incident. They no longer required the user to provide the propellant; they just needed to be loaded.

In the military, when facing large numbers of enemies, these weapons—which required specialized ammunition to be effective—would not be popular due to cost and efficiency.

But here, in the Shadow of the Royal City, where conflicts were constant and mostly consisted of small-scale alley skirmishes...

An alchemical firearm capable of threatening mid-tier knights and those below, without compromising the user's own strength, would surely be a hit—provided it could be loaded with standard or specialized ammunition.

By the same token, Wang Yu figured the Night’s Edge would likely welcome such a device.

"Wang Yu, your shop is quite the eclectic mix. How do you even have a Treant’s Wood Puppet Heart? And that lucky stone produced by the fae looks like top-tier quality. You were right, it’s like a general store, but everything is genuinely good. It’s hard not to be tempted."

Edward walked over to Wang Yu, who was inspecting a cabinet of alchemical firearms, and shared his observations.

Wang Yu had told Shael that the shop was more of a general store, and he was right; once inside, Edward realized that alchemical items actually made up only a small fraction of the inventory.

There was a vast array of other goods, including magical materials, the Wood Puppet Heart for summoning treants, lucky stones that boosted elemental affinity, and the Dwarven-forged Volcanic Egg, which granted the holder near-total immunity to fire—all rare imports seldom seen in the Royal City.

In truth, some of Wang Yu’s own concoctions sat on a corner shelf: Spinel Heart-Stims, Acid-Melt Regenerative Mixtures, and Boiling Blood Vials—a series of potent, physically taxing, and side-effect-heavy potions. In the right hands, however, they were invaluable.

"This was Avia’s suggestion. She felt it was a waste for this shop to serve only as her private alchemical workshop. The members of the Nightfall Church actually feel a strange sense of belonging here."

"Of course, that’s not because of us, but because of Saintess Darkness, who is always sitting in that rocking chair by the entrance. She often conveys the will of the Lady of Night herself."

For reasons unknown, the Lady of Night seemed to love lingering by the entrance of Wang Yu’s base—now the storefront—where she had manifested a lounge chair. It had inadvertently imbued the shop with a unique significance.

"So, we thought it better to use this space as a platform for believers of the Nightfall Church who have goods to sell but lack trusted channels. It should benefit both them and the Church."

Wang Yu glanced at the goblin merchant who was loudly praising the items sold in this alchemical general store to a crowd. So far, the results were promising; providing a reputable, fee-free platform for the Church’s followers was a great way to aid the organization’s growth.

"Indeed, the goods are plentiful and excellent. The believers outside were already curious, and now they’ve all been drawn in. So, can I sell my tarot cards here?"

After browsing, Shael had found several items he coveted, but a quick check of his pockets revealed he couldn't afford them. Even with the twenty-percent discount, they were beyond his means, though he hadn't taken the discount seriously anyway.

"Don't—" Edward started to tell Shael not to cause trouble, but upon reflection, he realized Shael’s custom tarot cards, which could unleash unique magic, were genuinely useful. Whether it was the Star card for spatial movement or the Wheel of Fortune for tracing the past, they were excellent consumables.

"You can. Just let Avia know. We don't charge a commission."

Wang Yu nodded, agreeing to Shael’s half-joking request.

"You’re serious? I’ll have to think about it. By the way, what are you looking at? The design is quite peculiar."

Shael scratched his head, surprised that Wang Yu had actually considered his request. He would have to give it some thought, but he was intrigued by the firearms in front of Wang Yu, which radiated a sense of power even to the uninitiated.

"Alchemical firearms. As it happens, come with me. This relates to something I have for you."

"Huh?"

...

In the spacious alchemical workshop beneath the shop, Avia, Wang Yu, Shael, and Edward descended via the mechanical lift. Avia carried a case, leading them to the testing range.

She opened the box and pulled out a unique-looking revolver. It was larger than the ones in the display case, with a prominent metal block at the muzzle that looked like a hammerhead grafted onto the barrel.

It was etched with intricate metal engravings—not for decoration, but to facilitate the carving of magic circuits. Unlike the shop’s firearms, which relied solely on material strength and mechanical structure, this was a magi-alchemical weapon.

"Here, it’s called 'Furnace Fury.' Give it a try." Wang Yu took the revolver from Avia and handed it to Shael.

"Uh, me? Sure, but how do I use it?" Shael was unfamiliar with the strange device.

"Load the special ammunition into the cylinder, channel your mana, and pull that metal trigger while aiming at the dummy," the girl instructed.

Shael clumsily loaded the custom rounds, found the mana-injection port, and channeled his energy.

The device reacted immediately. Mana flowed through the circuits, activating the pre-carved arrays. Inside the 'hammerhead,' a high-heat, high-energy reaction began to build.

"Bang!" Sensing the peak of the energy, Shael pulled the trigger. There was no explosive, diffuse flash; instead, a red beam of light erupted from the muzzle, streaking through the air to strike the metal dummy.

A brilliant explosion engulfed the target. The special bullet, designed to withstand intense energy, had absorbed the heat from the 'furnace' at the muzzle, becoming volatile. Upon impact, it released all that energy as a concentrated, terrifying blast of heat and kinetic force.

"My god..." Shael stared in shock at the dummy, its metal head completely obliterated. The jagged, gaping hole spoke volumes about the sheer destructive power of the shot.

The metal neck, melting from the lingering heat, served as a grim reminder that the bullet’s 'gift' was not easily endured.

"Such power. If someone were caught off guard, even a high-tier knight would sustain serious injuries."

Shael looked at the 'Furnace Fury' in his hand with awe. For such a compact weapon to possess such power—was this the genius of Miss Avia? Truly formidable.

"This is incredible. The ones in the cabinets upstairs will surely sell out." Shael smiled and handed the weapon back to Wang Yu. To be honest, it was exhilarating.

Whether from Earth or not, there was something about holding a firearm that brought a man a strange, inexplicable sense of satisfaction.

"Keep it. I have one too." Wang Yu waved him off, not taking it, and drew an identical revolver from his own waist.

"Keep it?" Shael froze. An alchemical item of this caliber was beyond monetary value—though even if it could be priced, Shael certainly couldn't afford it.

In truth, given the existing materials and the unique environment of the Royal City’s shadow, Avia had only managed to craft two 'Furnace Fury' revolvers. To make more would require materials that were currently impossible to source in the city.

"This... this isn't right." Shael scratched the back of his head, feeling awkward and flushed.

Though he often joked about taking advantage of Wang Yu and Edward, when it came down to it, Shael was never the type to actually do it. He talked a big game, but when the moment arrived, he always turned timid.

"Take it. It’s what you deserve." Wang Yu looked Shael in the eyes, his expression earnest.

"Indeed," Edward nodded. He seemed to recall something—a matter Wang Yu had told him never to mention to anyone else.

"This... thank you." Seeing the sincerity in Wang Yu’s eyes, Shael’s gaze flickered. He seemed to understand something, and he accepted the precious gift.

Shael’s role in the academy incident was currently known only to a few. Wang Yu knew, and Edward and Avia knew parts of it. Because of the 'One' and Shael’s plan, Shael’s memories were incomplete, and his contributions remained unrecognized by others. No one had rewarded him as they had Wang Yu; in fact, due to his 'disconnection,' he had even been reprimanded by Zig and the captain.

But... since Wang Yu knew the truth, he wouldn't stand by and let Shael give everything without receiving anything in return. As for whether it was worth it? Who cared. He’d treat it as a gift to a friend. At the very least, he was willing.