The Glitched Mage-Chapter 74: Medicinal Plants

The morning air was crisp, tinged with the scent of damp earth and lingering embers from the cookfires. The sky stretched clear and pale, streaked with gold as the first light of dawn cast long shadows over the encampment.

Riven stood at the edge of the Abyssal-forged farmlands, his hands resting loosely at his sides. The land before him—once barren, cracked, and starved of life—now pulsed with something otherworldly.

Rows of medicinal plants thrived in the abyss-touched soil, their dark leaves glistening faintly under the rising sun. Some of the crops bore subtle mutations, the results of the unnatural energy coursing through them—Void Thistle shimmered with an eerie glow, Bloodroot's veins pulsed darker than normal, and Etherbloom swayed gently even without a breeze. The Ashen Sage, however, was the most striking—a single stalk stood among the rest, its silver petals edged in black, as if kissed by the Abyss itself.

It had worked. They had grown.

Mal knelt nearby, carefully inspecting one of the stalks of Nightshade Marrow. He plucked a single leaf, rolling it between his fingers before holding it up to the light. "The mana saturation in these plants is… extreme," he mused, his silver eyes flicking toward Riven. "If their properties have shifted even slightly, we might be dealing with something completely new."

"We'll find out soon enough." Riven crouched beside him, his abyss-blue gaze sweeping across the field. "Are they ready for harvest?"

Mal nodded. "Most of them, yes. But we'll need to run tests before we start trading them." He paused, glancing toward the Ashen Sage. "That one, though… we should be careful with it."

Riven followed his gaze to the lone stalk, something ancient stirring in his gut. "We'll harvest it last."

Mal hummed in agreement before turning to the gathered workers. "Alright. Be careful with the cutting. If these herbs are anything like their original counterparts, even the wrong touch can be dangerous."

The workers nodded, moving carefully through the fields, blades slicing through stalks with precision. Bundles of herbs were placed into woven baskets, handled as delicately as treasure.

Riven watched in silence, satisfaction curling in his chest. This was progress. The first step toward turning the Shadow Kingdom into something more than just a forgotten wasteland.

But he wasn't finished yet.

Now that he had reached the Third Circle, he could expand.

He exhaled slowly, closing his eyes as he reached inward, feeling the steady pulse of his newly strengthened mana heart. Power coiled beneath his skin, sharper, richer, more ravenous than before.

He raised a hand.

[[ System Function Unlocked: Abyssal Expansion ]]

[[ Absorb surrounding mana and use abyssal energy to extend the farmland. ]]

A deep hum resonated through the ground.

The abyss-touched soil trembled.

The shadows of the field twisted, stretching outward as if reaching for something unseen. The dry, dead land at the borders of the field shifted—the cracked ground darkened, as if drinking in the Abyss itself. Slowly, inch by inch, the farmland expanded.

The air grew heavier. The mana thickened.

Whispers of shadow curled along Riven's fingers, his veins burning with power as he pushed the Abyss further into the land.

The workers froze, their eyes widening as the field grew before them.

Mal let out a low exhale. "So that's your new ability."

"It is," Riven muttered, his breath coming slower than before. His fingers trembled slightly as he flexed them, the lingering strain of expansion weighing down his limbs.

The farmland had grown—but only a few feet.

The toll it took was sharper than expected. The Abyss had responded, but the cost of forcing the land to change was greater than he anticipated. His mana reserves had dipped, a slow ache forming from the strain.

Krux, who had been overseeing the harvest, frowned as he took in Riven's stance. "You look like hell."

Riven exhaled, shaking his head. "It's slower than I thought," he admitted. "I can do it—but not all at once."

Aria crouched near the newly expanded soil, running her fingers through it. "It's something," she murmured. "Even if you can only do it little by little, the land is still changing. That in itself is a miracle."

Mal studied Riven carefully before nodding. "Pushing too hard will only make it worse," he said. "For now, we work with what we have." He turned his attention back to the herbs. "How long until we can test these?"

Mal rubbed his chin, considering. "We should know by tonight. I'll set up a lab and analyze their properties." His silver eyes gleamed with something sharp. "If they're even half as potent as they look, the merchants will crawl to us."

Riven exhaled, steadying himself. The expansion had drained him, but it was progress—slow, painful, but real.

Riven rolled his neck, willing the fatigue away as he turned from the farmland. The expansion had taken its toll, but there was no time to rest.

Progress didn't wait.

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His gaze swept toward the heart of the encampment, where the skeletal framework of the apartment complex loomed. The first true structure of the new Shadow Kingdom. A home, not just for warriors and soldiers, but for the people who would live under his rule.

"Let's see how the construction is coming along," he said, already moving.

Krux fell into step beside him, rolling his shoulders. "You sure you don't need to sit down before you drop?"

"I'll drop when I'm dead."

Krux huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head.

As they neared the site, the sound of chisels striking stone and wooden beams being hoisted into place filled the air. Workers moved with purpose, hauling bricks and reinforcing the foundation.

Damon, overseeing the laborers, caught sight of them and smirked. "Look who's finally taking an interest."

Riven arched a brow. "I've been interested since the start."

"You sure? You've been busy playing with dirt and shadows."

Riven ignored him, instead taking in the progress. The lower level of the building was nearly complete, its reinforced stone walls standing solid. The second level was being framed, wooden supports in place where future rooms would be built. Unlike sprawling estates or clustered hovels, this building rose upward—efficient, compact, and strong.

"You're moving fast," Riven noted.

"Hard to slack off when the king himself keeps looming over our shoulders," Damon said, crossing his arms. "Krux has been running them into the ground, too."

Krux shrugged, unapologetic. "They'll thank me when they're not sleeping under torn tents in the middle of winter."

Riven stepped forward, running a hand along the stonework. Sturdy. Good quality.

"This will hold," he said.

Damon snorted. "You say that like we'd let it fall apart."

Riven turned to him. "And the layout? Will it function as planned?"

"Yeah, yeah. First floor's mostly communal—kitchen, storage, gathering hall. Second floor will be private quarters. We're leaving space for future expansion. Once we get more resources, we'll build up."

"Good," Riven nodded. "With autumn nearly fully upon us, securing proper housing is the top priority."

Krux studied him. "You're really committed to this, aren't you?"

Riven met his gaze. "If we want to be taken seriously, we need more than just warriors and farmland. We need a foundation—a kingdom people will want to belong to."

Silence hung between them for a moment before Damon gave a rare, approving nod. "Then we'd better keep building."

Riven let them return to their work. The apartment was coming together, but it wasn't the only thing that needed attention.

He turned toward the outer edges of the settlement, where the new road was being carved into the barren land.

The road project was ambitious, but necessary. If they wanted merchants to come, they had to make it easy for them.

Riven strode toward the worksite, Nyx falling into step beside him this time.

"You're not letting yourself rest at all, are you?" she mused.

Riven smirked. "Should I?"

She gave him a look but didn't argue.

The road stretched ahead, a clear path being carved into the once-broken land. Stones were laid to reinforce the dirt, making it sturdy, lasting. Unlike the crude, uneven trails that once marked this place, this would be a proper road—something that spoke of order, stability, permanence.

Workers hauled stone, breaking and setting them into place, slowly but surely forming the spine of the Shadow Kingdom's connection to the outside world.

Damon had been overseeing this part as well, working with a group of builders to plan the best path toward Eldrin's Crossing.

"It's slower than I'd like," Damon admitted as he approached Riven and Nyx. "But it's holding up. Won't be long before it stretches all the way to the crossing."

Riven studied the road. "And security?"

Krux, who had also just arrived from the construction site, answered. "We'll set up patrols. The last thing we need is some bandits deciding to claim our new trade route for themselves."

"They won't get the chance," Riven said coolly. "If anyone tries, we make an example of them."

Damon smirked. "Now you're talking."

Mal approached, his silver eyes gleaming with excitement. "I just got word from Aria—she's picked up news about an auction happening in Eldrin's Crossing in three days," he said, slightly breathless. "This is the perfect opportunity to make serious coin and draw in potential merchant alliances."

Riven turned to him fully, interest sparking. "What's your plan?"

"We introduce the herbs in controlled batches," Mal explained. "The auction house verifies all listed goods, so there won't be any doubt about their authenticity. A single batch of these herbs is rare enough, but when they see multiple waves of them—consistently—they'll be stunned." His grin sharpened. "That's when they'll start coming to us."

Riven's abyss-blue eyes flickered, amusement curling at the edges of his lips. "Perfect," he said, the weight of strategy already forming in his mind. "We'll attend in disguise—as merchants of the Shadow Kingdom."

"I'll start testing the plants immediately!" Mal said, his silver eyes gleaming as he practically sprinted toward his tent, already deep in thought.

Krux let out a low chuckle beside Riven. "I don't think I've ever seen Mal this excited before."

Riven smirked, watching the alchemist disappear into his workspace. The energy in the air was palpable, and even he could feel the anticipation thrumming through his veins.

Everything was falling into place.

—x—

As the sun dipped beneath the horizon, the encampment settled into a steady rhythm. The sounds of hammering and stonework from the construction site faded, replaced by the distant crackle of cookfires and murmured conversations. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and mana-rich crops, a stark contrast to the lifeless wasteland this place had once been.

Riven made his way toward Mal's makeshift lab, positioned at the far end of the settlement. The tent, reinforced with dark cloth and lined with subtle enchantments, radiated a quiet hum of magic. The closer he got, the sharper the scents became—burning herbs, concentrated mana, the faint acrid tang of alchemical reactions at work.

He pushed aside the entrance flap, stepping into a space filled with controlled chaos.

Mal stood at the center, surrounded by an array of glass vials, parchment notes, and bubbling cauldrons. The table before him was covered in neatly arranged herbs, each separated into their own sections. Several open books lay scattered, filled with scribbled observations and transmutation equations.

Across the tent, Aria leaned against the wooden support beam, arms crossed, watching the process unfold with a quiet intensity. At the far end, a small cauldron emitted a swirling violet mist, its glow casting ghostly shadows against the canvas walls.

"You've been at this for hours," Riven noted, stepping closer.

Mal barely glanced up, too engrossed in his work. "Of course," he muttered. "You don't throw unknown abyss-infused herbs into the market without knowing what they'll do."

Riven smirked slightly. "Find anything interesting?"

Mal set down a vial of deep blue liquid, his silver eyes gleaming with excitement. "Oh, you have no idea."

He gestured toward the table, where several vials were neatly arranged, each labeled with careful precision.

Mal started with the first sample, holding up a vial containing a thick, dark purple extract.

"Nightshade Marrow," he said. "Already known for its sedative properties, but after growing in abyss-infused soil? It's at least four times stronger than normal. A single leaf in a potion will put someone to sleep for half a day. In higher doses, it could be used for something… less peaceful." His smirk was sharp.

Riven hummed, considering the implications.

Next, Mal lifted a vial of shimmering liquid, nearly translucent.

"This one is Etherbloom. Typically, it refines ambient mana into concentrated energy, used in high-tier mana potions. Our version?" He swirled the vial, watching as it pulsed faintly. "It's so potent that even a diluted dose could rival the best potions in the Solis Kingdom. If we sell these to the right people, we'll have a monopoly."

Riven's eyes gleamed. High-tier mana potions were always in demand—by warriors, mages, even royalty. If they controlled the supply, they controlled the leverage.

Mal moved to the next vial, holding up a deep crimson liquid that pulsed faintly.

"Bloodroot." His expression grew more serious. "This one… is unpredictable."

Riven stepped closer, intrigued. "How so?"

Mal carefully uncorked the vial, letting a thin wisp of mana drift toward it.

Instantly, the liquid inside reacted—darkening, thickening, the golden veins within twisting as if alive.

"It binds to mana," Mal explained, recorking the vial quickly. "Normally, Bloodroot is used to stop bleeding—coagulating blood and enhancing natural regeneration. But this strain reacts directly with mana. If used correctly, it could heal wounds faster than anything we've seen. But if misused, or introduced into a body with unstable mana reserves…" He shook his head. "It would do the opposite. Instead of healing, it could clog a person's mana pathways. Kill them instantly."

Riven studied the vial, weighing the risks. "This herb was already known to be a poison, so as long as we label the warnings correctly it will be fine to sell."

Mal nodded. "Agreed."

Moving on, he picked up another vial, this one containing a swirling dark mist.

"Void Thistle." Mal's tone dropped slightly. "An amplifier. Any potion mixed with this has its effects multiplied tenfold. Healing potions become miracles. Poisons become death sentences."

Riven arched a brow. "And the risk?"

Mal tapped the glass. "Too much exposure causes mana instability. Corrupts the user if they're not careful."

Riven smirked. "Sounds useful."

Mal exhaled. "Depends on how we use it."

Finally, Mal turned to the last sample—the Ashen Sage. A single silver petal lay on a black cloth, pulsing faintly, as if absorbing something unseen.

"This," Mal said, voice quieter, "is the real anomaly."

Riven watched as Mal lifted the petal with a pair of enchanted tongs.

"Ashen Sage is rumored to purify curses, toxins, even death itself," Mal murmured. "But this one… it doesn't neutralize. It doesn't cleanse." He hesitated. "It consumes."

Riven's gaze sharpened. "Consumes?"

Mal nodded grimly. "It doesn't just draw out poisons. It feeds on them. If used carefully, it could be revolutionary—capable of purging diseases or clearing mana corruption. But if misused?" He set the petal down carefully. "It could drain more than just impurities. It could take life force. Or worse— consume mana hearts."

Riven stared at the delicate petal, a realization settling over him.

This wasn't just medicine.

This was a weapon.

"Keep it hidden," Riven ordered. "We'll deal with it later."

Mal locked the sample away, sealing it with an enchanted sigil. "Understood."

Aria, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. "So what's the move?"

Riven turned to her. "We take a controlled fee batches to the auction in Eldrin's Crossing. Let the merchants see the effects for themselves. We don't give them everything—just enough to make them desperate."

Mal grinned. "A taste of power, and they'll be begging for more."

Riven's smirk mirrored his. "Exactly."

He turned to Aria. "You leave at dawn. Gather intel on the merchants, the auction house, and who our biggest competitors will be."

She gave a curt nod. "I'll return before nightfall."

Riven glanced back at Mal. "Prepare the auction samples. I want them ready when we leave."

Mal bowed slightly. "Consider it done."

With that, the meeting was concluded.

Riven stepped out of the tent, inhaling the cool night air. The encampment was quiet now, the distant glow of torches flickering in the dark.

The first step had been taken.

The herbs had changed.

The merchants would come.

And soon, the Shadow Kingdom would make its first move in the world.