Chapter 190: Death Painting

A few days had passed since Luke acquired the Plant Sensor skill. It changed the way he explored the forest. As a botanist, he could gain experience by analyzing plants, especially new or rare specimens, and now, he could do it remotely, within the radius of his perception field. Of course, the experience gain wasn’t anything dramatic. As his profession advanced, the system demanded more to level up.

Still, Luke wasn’t one to turn down help, no matter how small. He spent entire days combing through the undergrowth, scanning flora, planting different species, and pushing his Plant Growth skill to its limits. It became a cycle: plant, feed with mana, observe, repeat. He did it all randomly, deep in the wilderness, not with the goal of building a farm, but to better understand how his ability worked.

With each attempt, he not only grew more familiar with the skill itself, but also sharpened his control over mana. He started feeling its flow within him, like tracking the path of blood in his veins. Subtle, but constant. Tangible. He was close. So close to understanding how to channel mana into his physical body, just as he’d learned to do with stamina.

In the meantime, he threw himself into antidote production. And the only way to test them? Poisoning himself. He applied small doses of toxins to his arm, then drank the antidote and studied the effects. Sometimes it left him dizzy. Other times nauseous. But every reaction gave him data, refining the recipe, tightening the formula. Until finally…

[You have successfully created Putrid-Noctora Poison (Uncommon)]

The notification flashed, followed immediately by another:

*Your profession [Botanist of Mother Freya] has reached Level 15! (Bonus attribute points acquired)*

[You have acquired a Profession Skill]

Luke let out a breathless laugh, exhausted but satisfied. “Days of testing… and failing… but here we are.”

He stared down at the small vial filled with a murky green liquid. It wasn’t a huge batch. But it was something. And more importantly, it was real progress. With that poison in hand, he could now create a powerful antidote. Ironically, the antidote had been his goal from the start… but first, he’d needed the poison. The process had taught him more than he expected. Not just about toxins, but about potion crafting in general. About reagents. About preparation. Even his healing potions had improved.

He opened his system interface and looked at the numbers. He had a lot of unspent points waiting.

Name: Luke
Level: 18
Rank: F
Class: [Demonic Assassin (Lvl 29)]
Race: Half-Demon
Profession: Botanist of Mother Freya (Lvl 15)
Titles: [Dark Lord]
Bloodline: [Bloodline of the Dark Demon]
Health Points (HP): 1514/1550
Mana Points (MP): 838/1220
Stamina: 703/800
Soul Fragments: 62/1000

Stats:
Strength: 165
Agility: 156 (206)
Endurance: 60 (80)
Vitality: 155
Perception: 176 (186)
Intelligence: 122 (127)
Free Points: 43

Class Skills: [Basic Blade Handling (Common)], [Profane Knife Throwing (Uncommon)], [Twin Blade (Common)], [Basic Dark Dash (Rare)], [Basic Blood Regeneration (Rare)], [Assassin’s Mark (Rare)], [Demonic Blade Dance (Rare)], [Wraith Form (Ultra-Rare)], [Force Infusion (Rare)]

Profession Skills: [Herbology of Mother Freya (Ancient)], [Precise Extraction (Common)], [Basic Potion Crafting (Common)], [Plant Growth (Uncommon)], [Plant Sensor (Uncommon)]

Race Skills: [Identify (Common)], [Demonic Perception (Uncommon)], [Dark Blood (Uncommon)], [Meditation (Common)], [Demonic Endurance (Uncommon)]

Bloodline Skill: [Servant of the Dark Lord (Unique)]
Servants: [Princess Charlie (Skeleton) – Lvl 14], [Servant Slot Available]

Luke finally faced the pile of unspent stat points he’d been hoarding. More out of vanity than strategy. There was something deeply satisfying about watching that number grow. He couldn’t explain it, but it scratched some weird itch in his brain.

“So this is why supervillains always laugh before triggering their final plan…”

Smirking, he started allocating: 25 to Strength, 10 to Endurance, 4 to Vitality, and 4 to Intelligence.

Stats Updated:
Strength: 165 -> 190
Endurance: 60 (80) -> 70 (90)
Vitality: 155 -> 159
Intelligence: 122 (127) -> 126 (131)
Free Points: 43 -> 0

Once he confirmed the distribution, he tapped the ability notification. Five skill options popped up.

[Advanced Potion Crafting (Uncommon)]: The botanist, with refined mastery over measurements, ratios, and manual precision, executes every preparation with surgical accuracy. Each dose, blend, or concentration is meticulously adjusted, ensuring maximum stability, purity, and effectiveness. Your concoctions become stronger, longer lasting, and safer, reflecting knowledge well beyond mere practice.

A solid skill. Practical. Precise. His recent work had paid off. Days spent brewing every kind of potion imaginable had shaped his system to adapt, unlocking skills directly tied to that focus. The system offered plenty of doors, but only opened them in response to the user’s knowledge and effort. The time he’d sunk into studying poisons had fed into this, an evolution that could support all kinds of potion-making. And still… he dismissed it without hesitation.

“The fun of experimenting is in the discovery, the screw-ups and surprises. That’s how I found the Darkness Mixture formula. If I start doing everything perfectly, I’ll just turn into a robot.”

He preferred creative chaos. Sure, it came with the risk of failure, but also the thrill of breakthroughs. Unexpected outcomes. Real magic. Freya’s Herbalism skill still guided him. Gave him nudges, hints. But it didn’t smother him. There was room to explore, and that room was what made him feel like a true witch.

“I think that’s what witchcraft really is,” he muttered. “Trying, failing, learning, testing. Growing from your own understanding.”

He moved on to the next option.

[Botanical Purification (Uncommon)]: Using magic, the botanist can purify any natural water source, removing both physical and energetic impurities. Essential for crafting potions and mixtures that require an ultra-pure liquid base.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Luke glanced at the pot where he usually boiled water before brewing anything. That had been his go-to method… until now. This skill looked basic, but useful. Cutting out an entire step in the process meant more time, more precision. And in tight situations, that time could be everything. The next one made his eyebrow twitch.

[Plant-Based Gastronomy (Uncommon)]: Specializing in the culinary use of plants, the botanist understands edible ingredients and their effects on the body. Able to craft dishes that provide magical effects, blending flavor with functionality.