"It seems the Iron Wolf Gang hasn't bared its teeth in far too long. People are starting to forget who we are."

  Wolf Three scanned the shops one by one before coming to a halt in front of a storefront with a strangely modern design. "This must be the place."

  "The Boss said the one who dared to resist would be easy to spot," Wolf Four added, eyeing the crystalline glass walls with curiosity. In all of Cloud Mist City, this shop was one of a kind.

  "Smash it!"

  Wolf Three swung his massive iron sledgehammer. The muscles in his arms bulged, and thick veins snaked across his skin.

  THOOM!

  A thunderous boom echoed as the half-man-sized hammer slammed into the glass wall. Wolf Three felt a violent jolt of recoil; his webbing tore, and his arms trembled from the shock. Yet, the glass wall remained pristine—not a single hairline fracture appeared.

  "What in the hell is this wall made of? Why is it so damn hard?" Wolf Three’s palms shook so violently he nearly dropped his hammer.

  "Did you spend too much time at the Red Pavilion yesterday and wear yourself out? Move over, let me handle it," Wolf Four sneered, hoisting his own hammer.

  THOOM!

  Another explosion of sound. This time, the recoil was so powerful that the sledgehammer flew right out of Wolf Four’s hands. The spot he hit didn't even have a scratch.

  "I don't believe this! A piddling little shop and the two of us can't even crack a wall?" Wolf Three growled. He shook out his numbed hands and gripped his hammer once more.

  Just then, a figure appeared inside Wanxiang Variety Shop.

  "Do you two really intend to keep ignoring me?" Kael said casually as he pushed the door open, glancing at the glass walls. He had to admit, the defense system the System had installed was top-tier.

  "So, you're the brat who runs this place. Perfect timing," Wolf Three snarled, noticing Kael looked like an ordinary civilian. He raised his hammer and pointed it at Kael. "Since you're too stubborn to pay the management fee, don't blame us for being unsympathetic."

  "Why waste breath on him? Break his legs and toss him into the street. Let everyone see what happens when you refuse to pay," Wolf Four added, having retrieved his hammer.

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  They looked at Kael as if he were a lamb for the slaughter—a mere sacrifice to restore the prestige of the Iron Wolf Gang.

  "Enough talk. Get him!" Wolf Three roared, charging forward and swinging his hammer toward Kael’s head.

  Suddenly, a voice rang in Kael’s mind.

  [System: Hostility detected. Defense System activated.] [System: Within the shop's domain, the Shopkeeper’s dignity is inviolable!]

  In an instant, a tidal wave of majestic energy surged through Kael’s body. The "Defense System" was actually a temporary level-booster.

  The hammer was already inches from Kael’s face, the whistling wind ruffling his hair.

  CLANG!

  "That strike should have half-killed him. Watch it, Wolf Three, if he dies, who are we going to collect from?" Wolf Four joked from the sidelines, acting as if they had just struck a helpless animal.

  "Talking amongst yourselves like that... you really didn't take me seriously, did you?"

  "What?!"

  The two thugs stared in horror at the space beneath the hammer. An invisible wall of Qi had caught the strike effortlessly. Behind that barrier stood Kael, and in his palm, a sphere of magical elements was churning violently.

  "No... No way!"

  Their hearts nearly seized with terror. The sheer density of that magic told them one thing: the young man standing before them was a terrifyingly powerful Mage. Who the hell had told them he was just a regular guy?

  Their only thought was to run—to get as far away from this monster as possible. But it was too late.

  "Frost Congealment."

  Kael flicked his wrist, launching the concentrated magic. The screams of terror were cut short instantly. Two lifelike ice sculptures now stood frozen in the middle of the street.

  "Shame. That's the only spell I know," Kael sighed. With the threat neutralized, the System retracted the temporary power. He let out a yawn, ignored the frozen men outside, and went back inside to sleep.

  The next morning, the street outside the shop was a cacophony of voices. Local shop owners had gathered, drawn by the spectacle.

  "Aren't those... Wolf Three and Wolf Four from the Iron Wolf Gang?" a chubby shopkeeper gasped, recognizing the frozen faces. Though they were just low-level thugs, they were local nightmares.

  "How did they get frozen like this? Did a high-level Mage intervene last night?"

  "Look at them... they were frozen without even a chance to fight back."

  "Gods... that would require a Brave-rank Mage at the very least, maybe even a Classed-rank master."

  The owners whispered in awe, unable to fathom how a tiny shop could have the backing of such a powerhouse.

  Yawn...

  "What are you all doing in front of my shop? Are you here to buy something?" Kael rubbed his eyes as he opened the door, looking at the crowd with feigned surprise.

  "Nothing! It's nothing!"

  Seeing the owner emerge, the other merchants quickly waved their hands and scurried away. They didn't have powerful patrons; just because Kael dared to cross the Iron Wolf Gang didn't mean they did.

  Only Uncle Hai remained. "Kael... it seems my worrying yesterday was unnecessary," he said awkwardly.

  "No, I appreciate your concern, Uncle Hai," Kael said softly.

  The old man blinked, then broke into a smile. "Keep the shop running well, kid. I’m rooting for you."

  "I will." Kael watched him leave before turning to organize his stock.

  He placed the three Skill Stones he had drawn last night onto the shelves and had the System display their prices. Even though the shop was self-cleaning and perpetually spotless, Kael liked to keep himself busy.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  "Come in," Kael called out, looking up with his usual calm demeanor.