Chapter 117: Potion shortage across Korea

Early the next morning, Kei went to Thunder’s shop.

He had intended to ask about the situation with crafting materials, but the moment he stepped through the door, an angry shout made him jump.

"Do you think I can pull Potions out of thin air?"

Thunder stood in the middle of the shop, both hands pressed on the counter. His reddish-brown hair stood up like flames, his face flushed red with anger.

Across from him was a gray-haired man, his brown eyes clearly showing exhaustion.

Kei immediately recognized this person.

It was Lucas.

The vice leader of Guild Zootopia, an SS-rank hunter whom he and Kim Sora had met when they came to request books. That time, Lucas had also been shouted at by Thunder to the point where he didn’t dare utter a word in protest, so Kei still had a very deep impression.

Thunder glanced at Kei, then used his eyes to signal him to wait a moment.

Kei nodded and stepped to the side.

"Thunder, I know your shop is also short on stock, but the situation at Zootopia really can’t be dragged out any longer." Lucas clenched his fists. "Even just a little more would do. Healing Potions, Energy Potions, anything for poison resistance or effect cleansing. We’ll take however much you have."

"There isn’t any."

Thunder answered bluntly.

"Not even a single bottle left?"

"None."

Lucas was stunned.

"Then what about new supply sources?"

"There aren’t any either."

Lucas gritted his teeth, his expression growing worse and worse.

"Thunder!"

"Yelling at my face won’t help either!" Thunder slammed his hand on the counter.

"Compared to Zootopia, Dong-San City is the one truly in a critical state. All of our supply has already been delivered to the Guilds in the city. Right now there really is nothing left to provide to outside Guilds."

Lucas fell silent.

After a moment, he asked in a low voice:

"Is the situation in Dong-San City that serious?"

"Why do you think I’m still here?" Thunder looked at him coldly. "If it were just a few bottles of Potions short, I wouldn’t need to refuse you."

Kei stood to the side, silently listening to the conversation.

He had always known that Thunder deeply loved Dong-San City. Previously, even after knowing that a Dungeon outbreak was about to happen here, Thunder still decided to stay, waiting until the final moment to protect the city.

This man always put Dong-San City first.

Thinking of that, Kei couldn’t help but admire him.

Lucas spoke again:

"But this isn’t just Zootopia’s problem. Other Guilds are also starting to run short on Potions. Every city is seeing Dungeons appear more densely than before. Teams can’t enter Dungeons without enough support items."

Thunder frowned.

"What did you say?"

"The Potion shortage has begun happening nationwide." Lucas looked down at his own two hands. "I came here not just because Guild Zootopia has a problem. I wanted to know whether you still have any supply left."

The shop fell silent.

Kei slowly lowered his head.

So it wasn’t just Dong-San City. The demand for more Potions was spreading across the entire country.

The amount of Potions Kei could currently craft couldn’t meet the needs of even one city, let alone resolve the shortage spreading to all the Guilds in Korea.

The Cleansing Ring in his pocket suddenly felt heavier.

Kei had originally planned to keep testing. He wanted to perfect the formula, check the usage limits, and only then find Thunder to discuss it.

But now there was no more time.

If the formula continued to be kept secret, hunters would continue to depend on Potions. Those who couldn’t buy Potions would be forced to enter Dungeons lacking support items.

By then, the number of injured and dead would certainly rise.

Lucas and Thunder were still arguing.

"What do you expect me to do?" Thunder said through gritted teeth. "I want to help too, but the warehouse is already empty."

"I’m not blaming you!" Lucas shot back. "But if this continues, we won’t be able to sustain operations!"

"Then do you want me to pull stock out of thin air?"

Thunder was so angry his whole body seemed about to jump up.

"At the very least you have to—"

"Excuse me."

Kei’s voice cut through the argument.Both Thunder and Lucas simultaneously turned their heads to look at him.

Kei stepped up to the counter. His face remained calm, but his eyes had become extremely serious.

"Thunder, I have a piece of equipment that can solve this problem at its root."

Lucas was stunned, as if he couldn’t believe what his ears were hearing.

Thunder also narrowed his eyes and looked at Kei with doubt.

"Equipment?"

Kei took the silver ring out of his pocket and placed it on his palm.

The small energy stone in the center of the ring glowed faintly. The patterns simulating the Purification skill connected with each other, forming a thin white ring of light.

"This is the Ring of Purification." Kei said. "It can use the energy of the energy stone to activate the [Purification] skill. Other Craftsmen can learn from the formula I have recorded and mass-produce it."

Lucas stared at the ring, and Thunder was also silent for a long time.

If what Kei said was true, then this item would not only replace part of the Purification Potion. It could also completely change the way hunters prepare before entering a Dungeon.

No need to carry many kinds of Potions anymore, wearing a ring on a finger is enough to deal with all the negative effects caused by monsters.

Kei closed his hand, keeping the ring in his palm.

"But first, I need your help."

"Help with what?" Thunder asked.

Kei looked at Lucas, then at Thunder.

"I want this formula to be spread to Craftsmen capable of making it. Not just in one shop, and not just in one Guild."

He spoke very slowly, every word clear.

"If Potions are in shortage nationwide, then I alone cannot solve it. But if Craftsmen all make the Ring of Purification together, hunters will be able to get the Ring of Purification as soon as possible."

Thunder’s eyes gradually became serious, and Lucas no longer had the anxious look he had before.

In the small shop, among the shelves of weapons and crafting materials, a new piece of equipment was opening up the possibility of changing the entire support item market.

Kei looked at the silver ring, this was the piece of equipment containing all their hope!

"Thunder, I believe you will be the one to help me bring the formula for making this item to all the Craftsmen nationwide who can make it!"