Haven Online

Chapter 38: Sliding Puzzles*

Walking into the fourth room, Xinya was beyond being surprised by what this dungeon could come up with next. Instead, he couldn't wait until they were out of this place. So, when he entered the room and saw each wall covered by a hidden picture and, placed in the middle of the room, equipment for making potions, he just shrugged and tried to think about what he needed to do to get out of this room.

"No monsters in this room. My brawn is not needed for this one." Melting Snow said while chuckling.

When a grin, Xinya replied, "Don't worry my brain can handle this room, you can just stand there and look strong until I need you."

"Whatever, man." Melting Snow said, making faces at Xinya.

Studying the room a bit, Xinya knew exactly what he had to do. It seemed straightforward to him at least. All he had to do was unscramble the pictures on the wall, they will show potion ingredients and, once all the ingredients are revealed, he would have the formula to make a potion with.

The only troubling thing was that he felt like it was too easy, but he also knew that this was the last room before the boss so, maybe, the creators designed it that way. Either way, he wouldn't know until he starts. After figuring everything out, Xinya explained it to Melting Snow.

"So, we figure out the pictures and you just make the potion out of the ingredients they show?" Melting Snow asked.

"Yup, that's the gist of it."

Melting Snow scrunched up his face in disbelief, "Are you sure that's all too it?"

"I really hope so," Xinya said, as he went to the nearest wall to him and touched the puzzle, as soon as he did a notification sounded.

[You have activated room four of five! You have 15 minutes to complete the potion! If you don't complete it in 15 minutes you will die!]

"Oh crap!" Melting Snow shouted while looking at the far wall.

Following Melting Snow's gaze, Xinya saw that dirt was coming out of holes all around the room slowly. If they didn't hurry they would be buried alive. "Melting Snow go start working on one of the other puzzles!"

Xinya quickly got to work, it was one of those sliding puzzles. They might be hard for some people but, for him, it was easy. He used to do them all the time when he lived with his dad and stepmother since she took all his electronics away, even after he left that horrid place, he did them from time to time as a way to relax from a stressful day.

By the time it hit the 6-minute mark, Xinya was already on the third puzzle, he could hear Melting Snow grumbling and talk to himself about why the puzzle wasn't working. It amused him, plus Melting Snow's tantrum was good background noise and distracted him from worrying about the time limit. After uncovering the third picture, Xinya could already tell what potion he had to make, but he wanted to check the last one to make sure, just as he was about to go over to Melting Snow and finish the puzzle himself, he heard Melting Snow give a happy shout.

"I did it!" Melting Snow yelled happily. "See, I have a brain too."

Patting his head, Xinya looked at the picture. It was just as he expected. "Good job."

The pictures showed two blue herbs, one green herb, and a bottle of water. What he had to make was a simple Mana potion that would add 200 points back to a person MP. It would take him all of two minutes to make, and since there were only three minutes left, he hurried up and started it.

The intricacies of potion-making is a subtle art and not something that should be rushed, this was something that Xinya learned well in his last life. Although the game helps a bit, it still takes a stable hand and skill. If a person relies too much on the game help, the potions would turn out subpar at best. But, if the player used their own skills along with the game, they could make high-quality potions.

Some people might wonder what's the difference between a regular potion and one of high quality. The answer is simple, the regular allows you to gain back the mana, stamina, or health you lost, but high-quality potions can do that and more. They keep adding stats even after a long while. For example, if a player was fighting a monster and lost health, after taking the HQ potion would give back their health and, while fighting, if they lose more health, the potion effect will kick in and automatically fill the health back for the next couple of minutes.

This is why Xinya always tried to do his best while making potions, because, although regular potions sold, HQ potions sold for a lot more. Also, he figured out that simply making a regular potion wouldn't let them pass this room. Two minutes went by and Xinya finally finished the potion, never knowing that Melting Snow was standing near him and recording the whole time. Suddenly, a ding went off and a notification appeared. They had completed this room successfully.

"Wow! Was that an HQ potion you made?" Melting Snow asked. "I thought only NPC's could make those."

"Nope, any potion maker can if they work hard," Xinya said modestly.

"If you say so. Anyway, the next room will be the last right? It holds the boss?" Melting Snow asked.

Looking at the giant red door, from where that eerie black smoke was seeping out of, Xinya said. "Yes, through that door is the boss." 

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