I carefully reread the materials list and procedure for [Alchemy (Gold Transmutation)] that I had decrypted from the Akashic Records and began preparing to carry it out.
The required materials were as follows:
100 ml of fresh blood
10 g of platinum
10 g of sulfuric acid
5 g of red phosphorus
Luktic Basic Catalyst Stone
The last item—the Luktic Basic Catalyst Stone—had already been successfully created.
Among the remaining materials, platinum and red phosphorus could be purchased online without much difficulty.
Fresh blood and sulfuric acid, however, were a different matter.
I could draw the blood from my own body if necessary, but sulfuric acid was a highly dangerous substance. In South Korea, private purchase was strictly regulated by law.
Which meant one thing.
I would have to synthesize sulfuric acid myself.
Fortunately—or perhaps ironically—my father had been a chemistry major.
When I was young, he had bought various experimental tools for educational purposes and often showed me different chemical experiments.
Thanks to that, I was far more familiar with handling chemicals and conducting experiments than the average person.
These days, chemistry felt like something to hate—after all, chemicals had reduced my father to a dying patient in intensive care.
Yet ironically, the knowledge he had passed down and the equipment he had left behind were now invaluable.
If I could truly make gold, then maybe—with that money—I could secure better treatment for him.
Based on what my father had taught me and the information I had just researched online, the most feasible way to synthesize sulfuric acid at home was the hydrogen peroxide method.
As the name suggested, this method required highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide.
However, high-concentration hydrogen peroxide was just as dangerous as sulfuric acid itself, capable of rapidly oxidizing organic matter.
The only hydrogen peroxide available for purchase was heavily diluted.
Which meant—
My first task was to concentrate hydrogen peroxide.
Concentrating Hydrogen Peroxide
The next day, I received industrial-grade hydrogen peroxide at the maximum concentration legally available to individuals: 30%.
Using my father's old laboratory equipment, I assembled a simple distillation apparatus.
The principle was straightforward:
Fill a large beaker halfway with water.Place a smaller flask containing hydrogen peroxide into the water bath.
Heat the water in the large beaker.The hydrogen peroxide solution in the flask heats indirectly via the water bath.
Hydrogen peroxide solution consists of water and hydrogen peroxide.Water boils at ~100°C, while hydrogen peroxide boils at ~150°C.
By heating the solution to around 100°C, only the water evaporates.Over time, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide increases.
One critical safety measure was absolutely mandatory.
During heating, the system had to be depressurized using an air pump while sealed.
Highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide can violently explode near 100°C.
By lowering the internal pressure, the boiling point of water drops to around 70°C, allowing safe heating in the 70–80°C range.
Wearing protective goggles, gloves, and a chemical-resistant suit, I set up the fractional distillation apparatus in the bathroom.
The air pump hissed loudly as it reduced the internal pressure.
The thermometer fluctuated between 60°C and 80°C.
I adjusted the flame carefully, never taking my eyes off the temperature.
My nerves were stretched to their limit.
If the temperature rose too high, even for a moment, this bathroom would be engulfed in fire and explosion.
And I would die a painful death, wrapped in chemicals and flames.
After an agonizing stretch of time, the volume of liquid in the flask had noticeably decreased.
I dismantled the apparatus with extreme care and placed the flask on an electronic scale.
Based on the remaining mass, I estimated the concentration.
Approximately 60%.
Success.
Anything higher would be suicidal to attempt at home.
Now, the flask in my hand contained a liquid bomb no less dangerous than sulfuric acid.
If it touched combustible organic material—paper, cloth—it would ignite violently.
But for now, that was enough.
The next step was sulfuric acid.
An Interruption
Just then, loud knocking echoed through the door.
"Hey, Si-woo! You think you can just not pay back what you owe?"
"Open the damn door!"
Loan sharks.
They had been quiet for a while, but now they were back to collect interest.
I felt a surge of irritation.
I was already risking my life on something that might not even work—and these pests were in the way.
Still holding the flask of 60% hydrogen peroxide, I walked to the front door.
Beep.
The door lock opened.
As usual, the loan sharks tried to grab me by the collar.
I stepped back and thrust the flask toward them, the transparent liquid sloshing inside.
"Do you know what this is?"
The two men tilted their heads.
"What is it?"
"Hydrogen peroxide. Concentrated to sixty percent."
I grabbed a wad of paper from the shoe rack—the kind stuffed into new shoes—and tossed it onto the floor.
Then I tilted the flask slightly.
A small amount of liquid dripped onto the paper.
At first, nothing happened.
"What's this supposed to be?"
"You bluffing with water?"
"Just wait a few seconds."
The paper slowly turned brown.
Then—
WHOOSH!
Flames burst out violently.
"W-What the hell?!"
"You crazy bastard!"
The loan sharks staggered backward in panic.
"Like I said—hydrogen peroxide.It oxidizes and burns everything.Want me to splash some on you?"
I raised the flask threateningly.
"Y-You lunatic!"
"You pull acid on us and think this ends well?! Just wait!"
They retreated hastily, terror written all over their faces.
"It's not acid—it's hydrogen peroxide.Anyway, don't bother me for a few days. I'll pay the interest on time."
The flames on the paper died out.
There was nothing left to burn.
For now, the interference was gone.
Synthesizing Sulfuric Acid
All that remained were sulfuric acid and blood.
I decided to draw the blood myself.
The materials for synthesizing sulfuric acid had already been purchased.
The synthesis itself wasn't complicated.
Burn sulfur (S) to produce sulfur dioxide (SO₂).
Dissolve SO₂ in water to create sulfurous acid (H₂SO₃).
React sulfurous acid with hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) to form sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄).
Using my father's equipment, I began immediately.
This time, I wore full protective gear—chemical suit, goggles, gloves, and a gas mask.
Sulfur dioxide was lethal if inhaled.
I crushed sulfur, placed it in a sealed glass tube, and heated it with a torch.
The generated gas traveled through a hose into a beaker of water, bubbling up from the bottom.
As the gas dissolved, the water gradually turned into sulfurous acid—just like carbonating water.
With the windows wide open and the ventilation fan running at full power, I proceeded carefully.
Once the sulfurous acid was ready, I added the 60% hydrogen peroxide.
The reaction was simple:
H₂SO₃ + H₂O₂ → H₂SO₄ + H₂O
Sulfuric acid was formed.
The hydrogen peroxide, having lost an oxygen atom, reverted to water.
This produced a dilute sulfuric acid solution.
But it wasn't enough.
Measured concentration: ~1%.
The alchemy recipe required at least 10% sulfuric acid.
So once again, I returned to the distillation setup.
Sulfuric acid boils at 337°C.
Water boils at 100°C.
By lowering the pressure, water would evaporate at around 70–80°C, increasing sulfuric acid concentration.
This step was dangerous in a different way.
Sulfuric acid bonds strongly with water, and acid vapors could form—vapors that would melt lungs if inhaled.
Wrapped head to toe in protective gear, I concentrated the solution.
When the volume dropped to the target amount, I stopped immediately.
Measured concentration: ~10%.
There were about 200 g of solution left—enough for two uses.
Perfect.
Fresh Blood
Now came the last requirement.
Fresh blood.
I sterilized a thick venipuncture needle.
After watching medical guides online countless times, I carefully inserted the needle into a vein on my wrist.
This was reckless.
Dangerous.
But I was convinced—this alchemy could change my life.
Dark red blood flowed into the connected flask.
Pain. Dizziness.
When it reached 200 ml, I stopped and applied pressure.
Enough for two attempts.
Everything was ready.
I reviewed the materials one last time:
Fresh blood 100 ml
Platinum 10 g
Sulfuric acid 10 g
Red phosphorus 5 g
Luktic Basic Catalyst Stone
All accounted for.
Finally—
The moment had come.
It was time to attempt alchemy.