Chapter 662 Choosing Magic Potions
"Let me have a look at them."
Howard glanced over the counter, which displayed a variety of basic magic potions.
While they appeared to be of decent quality, they clearly didn't meet Howard's expectations.
Indeed, intermediate magic potions, being quite valuable here, wouldn't just be casually placed on the counter.
Even in Lorinda, the bounty on Red Eye was merely in the four digits of gold coins.
Yet, Red Eye's power was almost at the level of a level 2 magus.
This illustrates that, although being a magus is quite expensive, it's equally a profession where earning money can be as easy as picking it up off the ground.
Whether it's crafting magic potions or scrolls, teaching at various magus academies, affiliating with a noble family, or even claiming a noble title for oneself, money is always plentiful.
The only ones who are poor are either lazy or too weak.
The middle-aged man turned and opened a hefty metal cabinet behind him, retrieving several sealed wooden boxes, which he laid out in a row on the counter and opened one by one.
Each box contained a type of magic potion, with some holding two or three bottles and others just one, totaling no more than ten bottles.
"These are the latest arrivals, all sealed with mana to preserve the effects of the magic potions to the greatest extent. As long as they remain unopened, they can be preserved for over three years!"
The middle-aged man introduced each magic potion in turn: "Starting from the side, we have Liontiger, Dragon Fang, Flame Heart, Ice Heart, Mandragora, and Water Demon."
Six types of magic potions were presented, ranging from those that simply enhance constitution, to those that temporarily boost attribute mana, to others designed for specific situations.
Together, they provided a comprehensive solution to virtually any circumstance one might encounter.
Magic potions are typically named in a manner reflective of their effects.
Liontiger enhances the user's constitution for a period, with virtually no usage requirements, potentially elevating the consumer's constitution to the standards of a level 2 magus.
Dragon Fang amplifies the abilities of special bloodlines within the body and can also boost constitution.
However, its ability to purely enhance constitution is not as strong as Liontiger, and its use comes with certain limitations.
Flame Heart and Ice Heart are two diametrically opposed magic potions that enhance mana and imbue it with either Pyro or Cyro effects.
If the user's mana already aligns with one of these attributes, the amplification effect is significantly more pronounced.
Mandragora is a rare potion with potent toxicity, capable of neutralizing most poisons through a toxin-against-toxin approach upon consumption.
Water Demon dramatically extends the user's breath-holding capacity and enhances sensory perception in aquatic environments.
Each magic potion serves its unique purpose, and all appear to be of high quality.
Were it not for budget constraints, Howard would certainly purchase one of each variety.
Even if not immediately needed, it's always better to be prepared.
Unfortunately, his budget was limited.
After surveying all the potions, Howard picked up the Dragon Fang potion next to the Liontiger and casually inquired, "How much for this bottle of Dragon Fang?"
The middle-aged man's eyes twinkled, and a bright smile spread across his face.
"Only two hundred and thirty gold coins! This potion's formula comes from the hands of a special-level magus and offers a significant boost to various special bloodlines. The enhancement to constitution is also notably pronounced. It's an essential item both for self-defense at home and for those traveling abroad!"
Howard swirled the small bottle containing the magic potion, peering at the mist-like substance within.
Although termed "magic potion," most magic potions aren't the typical liquid form one might expect.
Instead, they're a special type of spell or a physical matrix that utilizes the unique effects of various mana materials.
Thus, even non-magi, with precise formulas and skillful hands, can produce them.
This leads to the possibility of mass-producing magic potions.
However, this also results in inconsistent quality among magic potions.
Even potions produced from the same formula by the same batch can have slight efficacy differences, depending on the creator's state of energy at the time of creation.
Such subtle differences might not be apparent with intermediate magic potions, but they become crucial for pricing when it comes to advanced or superior magic potions.
Two hundred thirty gold coins for the price was within Howard's expectations, but it wasn't the lowest he had hoped for.
For potions like Dragon Fang, which have certain usage restrictions, the price can vary significantly—up to twenty percent depending on the individual.
For a subhuman with a special bloodline, even a price tag of two hundred fifty gold coins for a bottle of Dragon Fang could be considered a bargain.
Despite being marketed as a mass-produced item, the price of intermediate magic potions has never had a fixed standard.
"That's a bit pricey," Howard shook his head, placing the Dragon Fang magic potion back into the box, his gaze shifting towards Mandragora.
"How much for this bottle of Mandragora?"
Although the primary use of Mandragora magic potion is detoxification, it also possesses severe toxicity.
If taken without being poisoned, even a level 2 magus might not be saved.
Describing it as 'deadly upon contact' is an understatement.
Were it not for the fact that magic potions cannot be consumed in diluted form, the toxicity of a standard potion bottle of Mandragora could kill thousands.
Furthermore, there's an application of Mandragora magic potion that hasn't fully become mainstream yet, something Nula shared with Howard before he left.
That is, applying Mandragora directly to weapons, allowing them to retain severe toxicity for a duration.
And because it involves a spell, there's no need to worry about the poison's efficacy being diminished by collisions or wear.
A single bottle of Mandragora could render a weapon poisonous for a week.
Colorless, tasteless, and deadly in the smallest quantities, it is undoubtedly the best choice for assassination or ambush.
Had Howard possessed such a potion during the monster tide siege, with his speed, he could have defended a hundred-meter stretch of the wall by himself!
His battle achievements might have been more than tripled!
"Just three hundred sixty gold coins."
But the price is also significantly higher compared to potions of the same level.
Then, the middle-aged man saw Howard shake his head again, his gaze moving away from Mandragora and finally settling on Liontiger magic potion.
Truthfully, although Liontiger magic potion can significantly enhance constitution, it's somewhat superfluous for magi.
For magi who specialize in spellcasting, allowing an enemy to come into close range is unlikely, making it more sensible to invest in a Flame Heart or Ice Heart potion instead.
And for enhancement magi, who already possess methods to bolster their constitution, the redundant and temporary effects of Liontiger seem unnecessary.
It would be more practical to opt for Mandragora, Dragon Fang, or Water Demon potions.
Thus, despite its effective results as an intermediate magic potion, Liontiger's somewhat awkward capability places its price among the lower tier within the intermediate potion category.
Even so, its price generally doesn't fall below two hundred gold coins.
After all, Liontiger proves very useful for non-magi individuals in self-defense situations.
The enhanced constitution is sufficient to allow the consumer to momentarily withstand a level 3 magus, potentially securing a chance to escape.
As expected, under Howard's seemingly casual yet intentional gaze, the middle-aged man quoted a price significantly lower than the other two potions.
"Two hundred and five gold coins."
Barely crossing the two hundred gold coin threshold, it was even just two-thirds the price of the Mandragora potion.
This was within Howard's expectations; not too high, but not too low either.
If Howard were a level 2 magus, or if he had a few more followers behind him, the price could probably be pressed down by another twenty to thirty percent.
Unfortunately, Howard had none of these advantages.
What he did have was a companion who liked to follow him around and became immovable at the sight of pretty dresses.
Quickly calculating his budget, Howard tapped on the countertop, "I'll take this one. Also, I'd like to pick up a few basic magic potions. Do you have any recommendations, shopkeeper?"
"What do you need them for, young man?"
The middle-aged man, with a smile as radiant as the sun, began packaging the Liontiger potion.
After carefully putting away the other intermediate potions, he opened a cabinet and laid out several basic magic potions on the counter in a row.
Compared to intermediate magic potions, there is a wider variety and quantity of basic magic potions available.
Although each type of potion is still contained in its individual small box, the presentation is not as formal as with intermediate potions; they are simply cushioned with a decent-
looking piece of silk, and a box contains nearly ten bottles.
Howard glanced over the magic potions displayed by the shopkeeper—lion, cat, wolf, grey mouse, lone leaf, Grey Poison, water lung...
Some are the original or diluted versions of intermediate potions, while others are more niche potions with unique effects.
After looking around, Howard selected two bottles of Grey Poison and one bottle of Cat.
The former is the original version of Mandragora, but both its toxicity and duration of effect are vastly inferior.
Even when applied to weapons, Grey Poison can only maintain its effect for a day, and its toxicity is not significantly effective against larger creatures unless the wound is quite large or it directly hits near the heart.
"Cat," on the other hand, is a magic potion that offers night vision.
However, it would be more accurate to describe its effect as low-light vision rather than true night vision.
Follow current novels on freewe(b)novel.c(o)m