Early in the morning, Zhong Lingyun led the students of Brilliant Academy into Kael's shop.

  The moment they stepped inside, their eyes were drawn to the newly expanded Combat Strength Enhancement area.

  "When did the shop expand again?" Zhong Lingyun paused, stunned. She immediately walked back outside to double-check. From the street, the building's exterior dimensions hadn't changed at all.

  "Space... Space Folding!"

  Zhong Lingyun knew her magic.

  Space Magic had always been the most esoteric and profound of all magical disciplines.

  For instance, the common "Blink" spell was a form of Space Magic. However, that was merely a crude, superficial application. Yet, even such a rudimentary spell was beyond the grasp of most ordinary mages.

  Higher-level Space Magic was an entirely different beast.

  A Space Mage, regardless of their rank, was destined for fame. This was partly because the class was incredibly rare—the talent requirements were astronomical, making Space Mages as scarce as phoenix feathers.

  But more importantly, high-level Space Magic was devastatingly powerful.

  Space Folding was one such high-level spell.

  Typically, Space Folding was used to create storage items. The larger the folded space, the higher the demand on the mage's mana and control. Destroying space was always easier than stabilizing it; creating a stable pocket dimension was a monumental task.

  This was why storage items on the market—even the rare ones that appeared in auction houses—usually only held one or two cubic meters of space.

  But in Kael's shop? The folded space was massive, effectively doubling the shop's floor plan.

  To maintain a Space Folding spell of this magnitude... even a Hero Rank Space Mage would struggle to achieve it.

  And where would one even find a Hero Rank Space Mage?

  The deterrent force of such an individual was greater than ten standard elemental mages combined. If prepared, a Hero Rank Space Mage could cast "Void Collapse"—at the risk of damaging their own potential—and that single spell would be enough to annihilate an entire empire.

  Realizing this, Zhong Lingyun’s estimation of the shop’s background skyrocketed yet again.

  To have such a powerful Space Mage as an ally... putting aside distant lands, one could walk unhindered across the entire Huangyuan Empire.

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  She looked at Kael with new eyes.

  Thank the gods the Manager has a gentle temperament, she thought. Otherwise, he would be a calamity for the Empire.

  Zhong Lingyun exhaled slowly, calming her racing heart. She clapped her hands. "Alright, stop staring. Buy your items and find a seat."

  She then went to the counter to pay, securing her daily supply of snacks in the process.

  Close on the heels of the Academy group were the Blood Wolf Squad and Tiger Hunt. At some point, the solitary Tiger Hunt had started hanging out with the mercenaries.

  As soon as they entered, Blood Wolf’s attention was grabbed first by the massive screen on the wall, and second by the two long, genuine leather sofas.

  "Boss, you added sofas? Are you afraid we'll get tired of waiting?" Blood Wolf asked as he walked in, eyeing the setup. He had no idea what the screen was for.

  "And you added so many booths in one go! The Blood Wolf Squad finally doesn't have to train in batches. Boss, you're too generous!" Blood Wolf exclaimed happily, acting as if he’d discovered a new continent.

  "Shier, set me up," Tiger Hunt was much more direct.

  He paid his crystals at the counter, then headed straight for the vending machine to buy Potato Chips and a Bacon Sandwich.

  Real men didn't eat Fruit Flavored Jelly.

  "Go back and call the rest of the brothers. Starting today, we train together," Blood Wolf instructed a team member before approaching the counter.

  "Shier, activate the machines. Keep the extra crystals here; deduct from this bag when the others arrive."

  He dropped a heavy bag of Spirit Crystals on the counter, grabbed a sandwich, and led his men to the seats. As he passed Kael, he stopped and pointed at the black rectangle on the wall.

  "Boss, what is that thing for?"

  "You'll know soon enough," Kael said indifferently, his eyes glued to his own crystal ball.

  He was currently brainstorming how to conduct his "livestream" commentary so these noobs could actually win a match.

  "Alright then."

  Blood Wolf didn't pry. He changed the subject with a grin. "Boss, carry us for two more rounds today? I feel like we've improved a lot. We definitely won't be dead weight this time."

  "I think not," Kael shot him a look of disdain the moment he heard 'won't be dead weight.'

  "I'll... just go warm up with a few solo matches then," Blood Wolf laughed awkwardly and slid into a booth.

  Even though he still couldn't win, Blood Wolf could feel the improvement in his combat techniques. His level hadn't changed, but he knew that the current him could easily defeat three versions of his past self.

  That was the power of refined technique.

  However, improvement was improvement. The pain of the process was something that couldn't be described in words—it had to be experienced.

  Before long, wails of despair began to drift from the Combat Strength Enhancement area.

  Shier, completely desensitized to the screams of agony, lay back in her chair behind the counter, leisurely munching on potato chips.

  "Shier, set us up, please."

  Soon after, Lanye arrived with her squad.

  "Sister Lanye, we're going to buy jelly and chips!" Nalan Qinqi and Lan Zi'er rushed toward the vending machine the moment they entered.

  Feixue walked in last. She scanned the changes in the shop, and suddenly, her pupils contracted.

  This shop uses Space Folding magic.

  Seen in this light, the Dragon Ascending Pill the Manager had produced earlier made perfect sense. A Hero Rank Space Mage was someone even the haughty, arrogant Dragon Race would show face to.

  "Most of the regulars are here. Time to cast a wide net... maybe a few of them actually have some talent," Kael mused.

  He saw the rest of the Blood Wolf Squad arriving right behind Lanye's group. With the shop bustling and a few people resting on the sofas, the timing was perfect.

  Kael spoke to the System in his mind. "System, start the livestream. Connect my visual feed to the big screen."

  [System: The Host's request has been fulfilled. Please do your best to complete the mission~]

  "Ugh..."

  Hearing the System act cute at the end, Kael gagged in disgust.