I am a Tycoon!

The sun had barely risen over the dense, mist-shrouded forests of the Eastern Region. Morning dew clung to the leaves, glistening like small jewels as Lee-oh crouched near a patch of bright-blue Spirit Bloom herbs, carefully harvesting each stem and storing them in his satchel. His breathing was steady, but his heart thumped with anticipation.

It had been a week since the alchemist approached them—only to vanish when Daey-ib glared suspiciously. That encounter lit a spark inside Lee-oh. He needed to grow stronger. Faster. And now, the system had finally granted him the opportunity to do so.

A soft chime echoed in his mind as a message flashed before his eyes:

[Ding!] Congratulations! You have accumulated 1,000 System Points.System Upgrade Available: Level 2Would you like to proceed?

Lee-oh's eyes widened. "Finally."

[System Upgrade in Progress…]

A beam of light surged around his body, invisible to others but clear to him in the mind's eye. It wasn't painful—rather, it felt like unlocking a deeper potential within himself.

[System Level 2 Activated]• Storage Capacity: 100 slots• New Features Unlocked:— Cultivation: Enabled (Novice III)— Carcass Collection: Enabled— Crafting Upgrade: Basic Food, Potions, Animal Leather• Shop Level 2 Available (Upgrade Cost: 1,000 points)• System Level 3 Requirement: 15,000 points

"WHATT!!?" Lee-oh shouted aloud, startling a flock of resting birds into the sky.

He scrolled quickly through the new interface. A wave of excitement surged through him. Not only could he now cultivate, but he could also craft and begin collecting animal corpses—a resource previously unusable.

[Cultivation Level: Novice III]

"Wait… I can cultivate now?" He immediately sat cross-legged on the forest floor and began circulating the energy using the methods he'd observed from others—combined with instructions from the system.

A thin mist of spiritual energy began to swirl around him. It was slow. Sluggish. But it was working. Every herb he had consumed, every potion he brewed, every energy point he earned was contributing.

"Let's go!" he grinned, eyes shut, feeling the power slowly integrating with his core.

That evening, Lee-oh returned to camp where Daey-ib was waiting, sorting herbs under a shaded tarp.

"You finally cultivated?" Daey-ib asked.

Lee-oh nodded, tossing him a freshly brewed low-grade potion. "Here. You're Beginner I now, right?"

Daey-ib raised a brow. "How did you—?"

"I saw your aura earlier," Lee-oh shrugged. "Also, the system tells me who's around my level."

Daey-ib accepted the potion with a small smile. "Thanks."

For the next few days, they ventured deeper into the jungle parts of the Eastern Region, hunting small spiritual beasts—wild rabbits with spiritual cores, foxes that could summon minor illusions, and even a few horned boars.

The corpses were collected and stored through the system, no longer rotting, and the meat could now be preserved or crafted. As for the bones and pelts—valuable crafting materials.

Every successful hunt granted Lee-oh points.

+12+9+18

Within days, he had enough to unlock the Shop Level 2.

[Shop Level 2 – Unlocked]

New Crafting Options Available:— Food: Restorative Meals— Potions: Energy, Healing, Resistance— Animal Leather Items: Basic Armor

Unlock Requirement for Shop Level 3: 30,000 points

New Notification: System Level 3 Available at 15,000 points.

This was a game-changer.

Lee-oh immediately began crafting.

His days became a routine:Morning: Hunt small beasts and collect herbsAfternoon: Craft items, brew potionsEvening: Sell items in the eastern market using Daey-ib's stall license

The market took notice.

A few merchants asked, "Where are you getting all this?"A blacksmith muttered, "These leather bracers are better than mine…"The potion master raised his prices in frustration.

But one person had been watching more closely: the alchemist.

After weeks of silence, the alchemist returned—not lurking, but walking straight toward them as they were setting up their stall. His white robe was embroidered with gold vines and his eyes gleamed with curiosity.

"You two," he said. "You've been busy."

Lee-oh stepped in front of Daey-ib. "What do you want?"

The alchemist chuckled. "Peace. And profit."

He introduced himself. "Yun Ha-Jin. I've been observing your work. The potions you make, the precise animal cuts, the flow of cultivation around you—there's something unnatural. Something... advanced."

Lee-oh didn't respond. He wasn't about to reveal the system.

Yun continued, "I want to partner. Help you sell, distribute, and expand. I'll take 10%."

Daey-ib raised a brow. "Too much."

Yun shrugged. "Fine. 5% and you let me watch your crafting process. That's all."

After a long pause, Lee-oh said, "You can help distribute. No watching. 5%."

The deal was made. And business exploded.

One month passed.

Lee-oh and Daey-ib leveled up twice.

Lee-oh: Beginner II → Beginner IVDaey-ib: Beginner I → Beginner III

With Yun's connections, their potions reached major guilds. Hunters wore Lee-oh's leather gear. And beast collectors paid to dump corpses on Lee-oh's cart.

In the system:

[Points: 10,000+][Wallet: $7,500+] (Note: Currency adapted for reader clarity)

A life-changing milestone. And Lee-oh knew—it was only the beginning.

Another month later, Lee-oh reached a new threshold.

[Points: 15,000+][Cash: $10,000+]

[Ding! System Level 3 Upgrade Available]— Upgrade? [YES]

The screen changed again:

[System Level 3 Activated]• Storage Capacity: 0/300• New Crafting Options:— Weapons and Blades— Profession Selection Available

Choose Your Profession:A. BlacksmithB. MerchantC. AlchemistD. Crafter

Note: You may only choose once.

Lee-oh stared at the options, deep in thought. His hands hovered over the choices.

"Blacksmith... good for offense.""Merchant... great for business.""Crafter… jack of all trades."

But then his eyes settled on one word: Alchemist.

The image of Kang Joon-oh flashed in his mind—the smug face of the one who humiliated him.

"I'll destroy him with fire. With poison. With power."

He pressed:

[Profession Selected: Alchemist]

A wave of energy flooded him. His spiritual core shifted slightly, becoming more refined, more reactive. A new branch of knowledge opened in the system.

Advanced Potion Recipes UnlockedElemental Crafting ActivatedExclusive Passive Skill Gained: "Potion Synergy"— Potions are 15% more effective.— Stackable effects now allowed.

Lee-oh grinned. "Let's start brewing hell."

He used part of his wealth to buy rare ingredients, upgraded cauldrons, and tools. Daey-ib focused on gathering while Yun Ha-Jin took over full market operations.

They formed an underground lab behind the eastern market, hidden by arrays.

Week after week, Lee-oh brewed.Potions that increased speed.Potions that hardened skin like armor.Potions that exploded on impact.

He didn't sell all of them. Some were stored—for war.

With the system's guidance, he also began crafting elemental weapons: a dagger imbued with fire essence, a spear that pulsed with wind.

The goal was no longer survival. It was dominance.

Lee-oh's vision was clear now:He wouldn't just become strong.He would monopolize the entire market of potions and weapons.

The alchemist-turned-tycoon era had begun.