Chapter 76: There’s Another Bottle

More than ten days ago, Gordon Brook, the One-Star Warrior, had soared upward in life. Against much opposition, the young King Alexander had promoted him from a mere Squadron Leader in the King’s Royal Guard to become Shampoo City’s ‘head of military affairs’. He now commanded all the city’s armed forces. Along with the newly appointed Herald, Best, he became one of Shampoo City’s ‘Two Big Bosses’. In a swift leap, Gordon Brook became one of the city’s most prominent figures, second only to the King himself. Even those proud nobles and powerful merchants who had once sneered at Brook now wore smiles as bright as flowers whenever they saw him. They frequently invited him to banquets, showered him with lavish gifts and beautiful serving girls. Crowds seeking an audience flooded his humble home from morning till night, their visits threatening to break down his door.

Had it been anyone else, such a drastic reversal in fortune might have gone to their head. But Brook, who came from humble origins, revealed his upright, decisive, yet flexible nature. He had a surprising rule for all those trying to cozy up to him: he gave no one the cold shoulder, yet formed no alliances. He made sure every visitor left satisfied.

This approach held careful thought. Shampoo City, just recovering from a great battle, faced the life-or-death challenge of the Zenit Empire’s Martial Arts Tournament in six months. King Alexander himself had said they must ‘unite all forces that could be united to rebuild Shampoo City quickly, efficiently, well, and economically’. Brook didn’t want to worsen tensions with the nobles; at least for now, surface harmony had to be maintained.

Spending each day wrestling with military matters, Brook dedicated significant thought to military reforms, his top task for the next thirty days. King Alexander had made several demands and hinted at some startling ideas that had stunned Brook. Thinking deeply about them in private, Brook grew increasingly excited. Many concepts were entirely new to him; initially, he couldn’t grasp them when the King described them. But slowly, they seemed flawless, brilliant innovations. Slightly adapted to fit Shampoo City’s realities, they promised revolutionary changes.

Of course, as his power grew, Gordon Brook felt unprecedented pressure too.

Ever resuming normal life, King Alexander’s personal strength and foresight had exploded at an unbelievable rate. Recently, while idly chatting with Frank Lampard, once the city’s top warrior, now at Chambord City Civil and Military School, Lampard subtly admitted the King’s power had grown to unfathomable depths. He, Lampard, might no longer be Alexander’s match.

This only added pressure on Brook and others like Pierce.

They understood. To stay by the King’s side, fighting and bleeding for Shampoo City, they had to improve their own strength urgently. Otherwise, they’d be left behind by their extraordinary King, becoming useless men.

During this time, Pierce, Drogba, and their tough buddies shamelessly begged a peculiar training regimen from the King. They trained like madmen daily with all kinds of grueling methods. Brook, buried in military duties, had little time to train. He was starting to feel he couldn’t keep up.

On this particular day, just as he felt overwhelmed, Sun Fei’s personal bodyguard, Fernando Torres, found Brook with the King’s command: “Commander Brook, His Majesty summons you immediately to the Great Hall. It is a matter of great importance.”

Brook, thoroughly puzzled, quickly followed Torres to the Great Hall of the Royal Palace.

Stepping inside, Brook was surprised to see Peter Cech, Captain of the Royal Guard, who should have been resting at home, seated on a stone chair deep in conversation with Alexander. The rest of the Great Hall was empty.

“Ha ha, Brook! You made it just in time!” King Alexander boomed. Laughing heartily, Sun Fei descended from the kingly throne, flanked by statues of twin Magical Beasts towering over four meters in height. He strode confidently to Brook and patted his shoulder. His gaze held a strange glint. “Today, I have something incredibly important for the two of you to see.” Suddenly, he opened his hand. Both Cech and Brook blinked, dazzled for a second. A small vial pulsed softly with emerald light appeared in Sun Fei’s palm. Its slender, crystal-clear body shimmered, containing green liquid that seemed to carry… a hint of Magic power.

“This is…” Both Brook and Cech started, shocked.

“Heh heh, just a little Battle Qi frenzy potion I concocted recently…” Sun Fei made up an explanation off the top of his head, looking pleased with himself. “But I prefer calling it… Hulk Potion,” he added, clearly relishing the name. “What a wondrous brew it is…” Then, he paused, deliberately holding back, a mischievous grin spreading on his face.

“Hulk Potion? That’s an odd name…” Brook could still feel the faint Magic energy emanating from the bottle. He asked instinctively, “Your Majesty, what does this potion do?”

“Its purpose is singular, of course,” Sun Fei boasted smugly. “In an instant, it can multiply a person’s strength manifold… Sounds somewhat like the berserker potions made by Alchemists? The difference is, Hulk Potion’s boost is permanent!”

“Permanent?!” Both Cech and Brook stopped breathing. Their bodies trembled violently as they stared at the tiny vial in the King’s hand. They gasped, unable to contain themselves: “How?! Could it be… an Epic Potion?!”

On the wide Azeroth Continent, among practitioners of Magic, there existed a special branch known as Alchemists. They could concoct countless fantastical potions with various effects. These Magic potions were graded by rarity and effect, with low-level ingredients producing common potions and high-level materials yielding the rarest. Legendary Epic Potions sat at the highest tier, rumored to possess incredible properties – some could permanently enhance one’s strength…

But these were stories, myths. Epic Potions were the domain of elusive, god-like Master Alchemists, requiring unimaginably rare ingredients. Even in the mighty empires of eighth or ninth levels, they were vanishingly scarce. For Sun Fei to casually produce a potion with effects rivaling an Epic Potion… Brook and Cech could scarcely believe their ears.

“Hmm? An Epic Potion? Impossible! I lack all the precious materials needed for something like that…” Having spent several days intensely poring over the royals’ collection of books, Sun Fei naturally knew what they were talking about. His eyes twinkled mischievously as he shook his head with a sly grin. “Heh heh. Though Hulk Potion yields astounding results, it carries a truly terrifying side effect…” He adopted a serious expression. “That’s why I hesitated so long before giving them to you. If you survive the side effects, the enhancement will satisfy.” He offered the vial forward. “Well? If you’re willing… who wants it first?”

Horrifying side effect?

Brook and Cech exchanged a look. The shock in their eyes eased slightly. That made sense! They thought. If it permanently boosted power without any downsides, matching a legendary Epic Potion, it would indeed be beyond precious.

Brook hesitated for several seconds. He glanced at Cech beside him, then suddenly raised his head.

“Let me try it first.”

Time before the Zenit Empire Vassal State Martial Arts Tournament, barely six months away, was slipping fast. Shampoo City had absolutely no retreat in the upcoming showdown. While they now had Lampard and King Alexander as powerhouse fighters, victory depended on the total wins versus losses across ten designated matches. They needed more strong warriors. Time was pressing tighter and tighter. For Gordon Brook, wholly devoted to serving His Majesty and easing his burdens, this vial, dangerous as it was, might be his final chance.

Steeling his resolve, Brook reached for the shimmering green vial.

But—

Whoosh!

A hand snapped out beside him. Peter Cech, silent until then, snatched the Hulk Potion. Swiftly pulling out the stopper, he tipped his head back. A gulp sounded as he downed much of the eerie green liquid.

“You—!”

Panic surged within Brook.

Just weeks ago, His Majesty had pardoned Cech from the dark, damp hell of the Iron Prison Water Dungeon. Rendered frail by his brutal confinement, riddled with injuries, his situation was dire. Worse, the treacherous Herald Bazel had shattered his Battle Qi Vortex, collapsing his cultivation base from near Two-Star Level proficiency. His strength had plummeted. Though he was starting over, rebuilding required immense time. Right now, he was physically at his weakest. If he drank this potion with its dangerously powerful side effects and couldn’t withstand it… it could be fatal.

Brook knew Cech had seized the vial only to shield him from risk.

Fear clenched Brook’s heart like ice. All other thoughts vanished. Eyes wide, he watched Cech desperately, praying for safety, searching for signs of trouble.

Sun Fei merely stood aside, covering a faintly amused grin behind his hand.

Several seconds ticked by. Then—

Suddenly, a soft gleam bloomed from Peter Cech’s forehead, right between his eyebrows. Unearthly Magic rippled outward. Mist surged around his head. The eerie green light swelled brighter and brighter, engulfing his face entirely. Even his hair became deep, shocking emerald green, a frighteningly bizarre sight.

Simultaneously, enormous beads of sweat erupted furiously on Cech’s ghostly-green forehead, rapidly covering his entire face. His facial muscles spasmed viciously, betraying the excruciating agony tearing through his nerves and body. This was suffering on an unimaginable scale.

A bolt of terror struck Brook. Frantically, he looked at Sun Fei and… was stunned. The King wore a serene expression. A hint of calm warmth even touched the corners of His Majesty’s lips. This steadied Brook only slightly as he forced himself to observe Peter Cech’s bizarre state.

The emerald glow thickened and began pouring down Peter Cech’s body. Spreading from his head, the magic light surged across neck, chest, waist, arms, hands, legs… Within moments, every inch of Captain Peter Cech radiated vivid green. Even the fine hairs covering his arms glittered unnaturally green. This transformation looked horrifyingly like deep, deadly poisoning had overtaken him. What terrified Brook even more were bizarre bulges traveling beneath Cech’s skin. Grotesque knobs shifted wildly across the surface, pulsing like living, writhing things. Veins popped starkly across his entire form. Sweat cascaded like rain… Clearly, suffering had escalated brutally.

Observing the entirely green, almost-painted figure, Brook understood internally: “No wonder it’s called Hulk Potion. Taking it does really turns one green everywhere.”

Sun Fei, nearby, shivered involuntarily. During his own Hulk Potion trials, he had endured its agony personally. Your very flesh felt eaten away by ten thousand ravenous insects… your muscles screaming as if being flayed… then plunged into roiling, molten oil… Pure excruciating torture. Not even once more, Sun Fei vowed. Plus, oddly, it seemed useless for him personally.

About thirty seconds passed. Gradually, the violent spasms twisting Peter Cech’s face lessened.

The intensely unnatural green suffusing his body lightened considerably as well. Suddenly, a wave of pure, powerful energy emerged from Peter Cech. The nature of this power felt deeply familiar to Gordon Brook; he had often felt it radiating from King Alexander. Its sheer pressure felt like a slumbering Dragon stirring. Shockingly, this energy level continued climbing rapidly as well.

Another thirty seconds crept by. The vivid green glow covering Peter Cech faded to an almost invisible glimmer.

The ascent of his newfound power halted abruptly.

Whoosh–

Peter Cech finally exhaled deeply, releasing a visible puff of gray air. His eyes fluttered open.

He examined himself urgently, head to toe. Immense joy washed over him as he instantly recognized the sensation: strength far exceeding even his original peak condition!! Tears welled in his eyes involuntarily. After having his Battle Qi Vortex destroyed by Bazel, he thought his warrior path was finished; he’d become nothing but trash. But now, miraculous new hope had arisen! He pivoted sharply onto one knee before Sun Fei! His entire frame shook violently! He stammered loudly through emotion: “Your… Your Majesty! Many… many thanks! I… I’m recovered! Such terrifying strength! My… my Qi Channels… widened! Expanded vastly! No longer! Within merely half a year… my Battle Qi… could be completely rebuilt!!”

Overwhelmed, Peter Cech could barely speak clearly.

His quick self-inspection revealed the true, unimaginable scope of Hulk Potion’s miracle. Though the lost Battle Qi hadn’t reappeared, he discovered something more profound: his flesh and blood felt remade. Simple physical power surged through his sinews and bones; unbelievably, his raw body strength actually matched a Two-Star Level Warrior! Yet… this paled beside a more critical finding. His internal channels for circulating Battle Qi had stretched vastly wider—several times their original size! This meant, moving forward, his Qi development speed could advance exponentially—leaving any peer far, far behind. This tiny vial’s value likely surpassed even legendary Epic Potions!

Sun Fei maintained calmness and responded with composure: “Peter, don’t get too excited yet. The worst of Hulk Potion’s fearful side effects haven’t passed.”

“Huh?!” Almost ready to fully relax, Brook and Cech instantly froze again. “What side effect?!”

“This faint green tint! See?” Sun Fei pointed casually. “The emerald glow hasn’t vanished totally.” He sounded deeply matter-of-factly. “My calculations… three to five days, probably, to completely disappear.”

A peculiar expression crossed Peter Cech’s still-slightly-chartreuse face. “Your… Your Majesty… was the supposed horrifying side effect…” he stammered incredulously, “simply… simply this… turning green?”

“Exactly! Yes!” Sun Fei forced a deadly serious nod. “Such a vile color requiring a week to vanish… isn’t that terrifying enough?” The pretense crumbled utterly. Sun Fei couldn’t hold back anymore. Abandoning princely grace entirely, he threw back his head in unrestrained triumph! Hand on his waist, chest swelling happily—practically roaring: “HA HA HA HA HA HA!”

Thud! Thud!

Both Brook and Peter dropped in unison! Their eyes rolled backward! Their complexions paled drastically; cold sweat burst across their temples! They sprawled flat on the Royal Palace’s cold stone, utterly speechless!

This… was the incredibly terrifying side effect?!

“Brook… I…” Peter Cech felt awkward instantly. Wanting fiercely to shield Gordon Brook from grave consequences of taking the potion first, he acted decisively, sacrificing his safety. Discovering it was merely His Majesty playing a practical joke… His own impulsive behavior suddenly looked very much like greedily stealing Brook’s chance for immense personal power! Moreover, both in merit and position within Shampoo City’s hierarchy, Peter Cech ranked far below Brook. Regret struck instantly.

“Captain Peter…” Gordon Brook habitually addressed his former superior with great respect. A broad, entirely sincere smile lit his face. “You honor me unnecessarily. If Shampoo City gains another strong fighter… our prospects during the Zenit Empire’s Martial Arts Tournament brighten… Which one of us takes the potion is completely irrelevant!” Brook’s sincerity radiated pure truth.

This left Peter Cech speechless. Sun Fei observed approvingly internally. He hadn’t misjudged Gordon Brook—a truly loyal, upright One-Star Warrior, entirely devoted to public good and deeply faithful.

“Actually… neither of you need fret,” Sun Fei said casually. His hand flipped suddenly. A second vial of shimmering green liquid materialized instantly within his grasp! “Because… I still have several of these Hulk Potions here!”