"Principal Gu Pingchuan, what’s wrong?" Shier asked, noticing the sudden shift in his expression.

  Given his status, power, and vast experience, there were very few things in this world that could make the Principal's face drain of color like that.

  "It’s nothing," Gu Pingchuan shook his head, then turned toward Kael with uncharacteristic urgency. "Manager, please, one Fruit Flavored Jelly."

  The higher one’s level, the exponentially harder it became to refine Combat Aura and Mana.

  To use a simple analogy: if a Hero Rank warrior had an Aura Purity of 1, spending time to refine it to 2 would double their effectiveness. However, a Legend Rank warrior might already have an Aura Purity of 100. Spending the same amount of effort to refine it by just 1 point would only result in a meager 1% increase.

  The difficulty curve was astronomical.

  This was why the "special effects" Shier dismissed as trivial were earth-shattering to someone like Gu Pingchuan. For a powerhouse at his level, even a fraction of a percentage increase in purity—when combined with his massive mana pool—could result in a terrifying boost to actual combat strength.

  Hence his desperation. He was terrified that such precious items would be like the attribute-boosting pills from before: extremely limited in stock. The Mana Spirit Pill he had bought previously was already consumed, and the results had been beyond expectation, enhancing both his casting speed and spell potency.

  "If you want jelly, it’s over there. See for yourself," Kael said, pointing toward the Snack Vending Machine. He hadn't expected the old man to get so worked up.

  "Looks like I made it in time." Gu Pingchuan hurried in the direction Kael pointed. The memory of the pills selling out was clearly still a sore spot for him.

  [Price: 1 Spirit Crystal. Limit: 1 per person per day.]

  Gu Pingchuan read the machine’s description, then the handwritten note Kael had taped next to it.

  "The stock must be low; otherwise, there wouldn't be a purchase limit," he muttered to himself, feeling lucky to have arrived early. He quickly inserted a crystal and bought a jelly. As a mage, he had no use for Potato Chips (Aura) or Bacon Sandwiches (Physique), so he ignored them for now.

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  "Hey, Boss! Morning!"

  Just as Gu Pingchuan was about to eat his jelly, Tiger Hunt and Blood Wolf walked in together, followed by several members of the Blood Wolf Squad. Since they no longer needed to hunt for breakfast elsewhere, they had arrived even earlier than usual.

  "Morning," Kael replied faintly, sinking back into his seat.

  "Buy your gear, grab breakfast, and get into the rooms. You guys have been training for so long, why is there no improvement in your efficiency?" Blood Wolf scolded his team while marching to the vending machine and buying all three snacks.

  Tiger Hunt stood behind him, waiting his turn. "Blood Wolf, do you feel like the Combat Aura in your body has become... just a tiny bit more refined?"

  Blood Wolf retrieved his snacks from the slot, tearing open the wrapper of his sandwich. "I felt it too. I thought I was just imagining things."

  "Captain, you felt it too?"

  "I thought I was just going crazy!"

  "So our Aura really did get purer?"

  The squad members chimed in one after another, confirming the phenomenon. Hearing their discussion, Shier spoke up and explained the special effects Kael had just mentioned.

  "So that’s what it is. No wonder," Tiger Hunt nodded.

  "I knew it! The Boss’s goods are never just 'tasty.' To think they actually refine the physique!" Blood Wolf grinned, taking a savage bite out of his Bacon Sandwich.

  Gu Pingchuan watched their nonchalant reactions with utter bewilderment. But what shocked him even more was seeing over a dozen people pull three snacks each out of that machine.

  This meant that while there was a purchase limit per person... the actual stock was effectively unlimited.

  How is this possible?

  Food that could refine Combat Aura and Mana was a strategic treasure. It should be hoarded by great clans, kept secret for elites. Yet here it was, sitting in a vending machine for anyone to buy.

  Did this shop simply not care about the value of these items? Just how powerful was the faction behind this shop? How vast were their resources?

  Even with his high standing, Gu Pingchuan could only feel a deep, trembling awe. He couldn't fathom what kind of organization possessed such wealth—or what their motive was for selling these treasures so openly.

  Whatever, he thought, giving up. It doesn't matter. As long as I can benefit from it.

  Gu Pingchuan squeezed the jelly into his mouth. Instantly, a riot of fruit flavors exploded, sweeping over his taste buds.

  Why is it this delicious?! he screamed internally. He managed to keep his mouth shut, preserving his dignity as a Principal.

  The jelly slid down his throat. Slowly, it transformed into wisps of special energy, merging with his mana pool. The process was silent and subtle. If his spiritual perception weren't so acute, he might have missed the tiny fluctuation entirely.

  "It really does refine Mana."

  Now that he had experienced it firsthand, Gu Pingchuan was a believer.

  "One per day... looks like this old man will have to come here every single day," he sighed, feeling a mix of resignation and anticipation. He knew there was a limit to how much purity one could handle at each rank. Excessively pure energy could actually harm someone with a lower level, as their physical body wouldn't be strong enough to contain the power.