It was like a firearm. The more powerful the gun, the higher the requirements for the materials used to build it. Otherwise, before the bullet could even leave the barrel, the weapon would suffer a catastrophic chamber explosion right in the wielder’s hands.

  For someone like Gu Pingchuan, reaching his natural limit would normally take decades, if not a century of painstaking cultivation. However, with the help of the Fruit Flavored Jelly, that timeline was being slashed into fractions.

  More importantly, Kael’s shop sold pills that permanently increased base attributes. Once a person's attributes increased, their capacity to contain and refine pure Combat Aura and Mana increased along with them.

  The mere thought sent a shiver down Gu Pingchuan’s spine.

  This isn't just a shop, he thought, letting out a long sigh. This is a factory for mass-producing monsters.

  After finishing his jelly, he quietly retreated back to his booth to continue his "training."

  Brilliant Academy, Principal’s Office.

  "Where is Gu Pingchuan?" Meng Xiangyu pushed the door open, staring at the empty room in stunned silence.

  "He mentioned something about supervising the off-site training today. I believe he left last night," Wu Zuozhou said in his usual slow, rhythmic drawl from behind him.

  "What?! You mean he snuck off to the Manager’s shop by himself?" Meng Xiangyu snapped, his face reddening with indignation.

  "Indubitably," Wu Zuozhou nodded.

  "Unacceptable! Absolutely unacceptable!" Meng Xiangyu gritted his teeth.

  Between the miraculous pills and the Combat Strength Enhancement Arena, the allure of Kael’s shop was irresistible even to the Academy’s top brass. However, as high-level officials, they had to maintain order at the Academy. Meng Xiangyu hadn't expected Gu Pingchuan to pull a fast one and ditch them the moment their backs were turned.

  Thinking quickly, Meng Xiangyu turned to leave. "I can't let him supervise alone. I’m going too!"

  Wu Zuozhou reached out, his hand landing firmly on Meng Xiangyu’s shoulder. "Easy now. You aren't going anywhere. That fox Gu Pingchuan split his duties between the two of us before he vanished."

  "..." Meng Xiangyu’s face was a mask of dark frustration.

  The two Vice-Principals—one in charge of Combat Aura and the other in charge of Magic—realized they had been played. In terms of actual workload, the two of them handled far more than the Principal ever did.

  Before the Academy’s training group even reached Cloud Mist City, the city welcomed a few uninvited guests.

  Two burly men passed through the city guards' inspection and entered the streets.

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  "The Elder said Cloud Mist City was the place, right?" The one with the mohawk, Nagu, glanced around the city with a critical eye.

  "Correct. Nagu, keep your wits about you. A Hero Rank powerhouse is living in seclusion here. If you accidentally cross him, don't expect me to save you. Just prepare to die," the bald man next to him, Nage, warned as they walked.

  "Worry about yourself, Nage. I'm not that stupid," Nagu replied dismissively.

  To him, a Hero Rank was an exalted existence. He didn't believe he’d just bump into one while walking down the street. Besides, he wasn't some wet-behind-the-ears rookie.

  "Let’s head to the shop the Elder mentioned first to scout the situation," Nage said, shifting focus back to their mission.

  "Do you know where it is?" Nagu asked.

  "Of course. I heard there are two very conspicuous ice sculptures outside the shop." Nage recalled the Elder's words before they departed. If you can't find the address, look for the ice sculptures.

  What Nage didn't know was that this specific piece of intelligence had been bought with the lives of their predecessors.

  Inside the shop, Kael was currently "carrying" players in the Multiplayer Arena.

  Suddenly, Kael’s expression flickered. A notification from the System distracted him for a split second—enough for the opponent’s Spearman to seize the opening and send Kael flying with a heavy strike.

  "Boss! What’s wrong? Focus!" Blood Wolf immediately raised his shield and stepped forward, intercepting the Spearman’s follow-up to prevent Kael from being combo-killed.

  Tiger Hunt swung his massive greataxe, increasing the pressure on the front line. "It's rare to see the Boss space out like that."

  "I’m fine. Pick up the pace, let's end this quickly," Kael stabilized himself. He flicked his longsword, which hummed like a bolt of lightning as he lunged forward.

  There were many sword-using classes, but most were Rare Classes. Unlike common classes, you couldn't just pass a trial to unlock them; they required specific affinity and talent. Kael, however, was the exception. With the System’s help, he could mimic any class.

  For this round, he was using the Swordseeker class. Its sole defining trait was speed—turning velocity into the ultimate weapon.

  Silver light flashed, turning into a storm of starlight. The enemy’s Archmage, hiding in the back as a semi-support, had four layers of defensive magic shattered instantly by Kael before being eliminated from the match.

  Only then did the enemy Guardian Knight react, erupting with Combat Aura to blow Kael back. But this was exactly what Kael had planned. Using the counter-force, Kael bounced back like a beam of light hitting a mirror—perfectly defying inertia.

  Tiger Hunt and Blood Wolf capitalized on the opening, flanking the Spearman. With the three-way coordination, the Spearman fell. Only the Guardian Knight remained, his fate sealed.

  "Superb. Exquisite. Manager Kael’s combat techniques and awareness are truly peerless," Gu Pingchuan praised from the sidelines, clapping as he watched the replay.

  "You flatter me, Principal. Join the room," Kael said flatly after returning to the lobby.

  "Right, one moment. I'm coming," Gu Pingchuan nodded, returning to his booth to join the session.

  "It's you!" Tiger Hunt grunted, recognizing the old man. There weren't many old men in Kael’s shop, and even fewer in the Arena. He especially remembered this guy for being such a "dead weight" that it ruined the combat experience for everyone else.

  "Something came up. Principal Gu Pingchuan will take my place. I'm heading out," Kael said to the three people in the room before logging off.

  Gu Pingchuan: "???"

  The Principal had just finished battling the eight AI opponents in Single Player. He had hoped to play a few rounds with Kael to learn some high-level multiplayer strategies. Now that he had finally gotten in, the carry had vanished.

  Tiger Hunt and Blood Wolf looked at each other. After a long silence, Blood Wolf, who had inherited the "Room Master" status, asked tentatively, "Should I... call a few more people in?"

  Tiger Hunt opened his mouth, but it took a while for words to come out. "Yeah... let's get some more people. Let's just... see how it goes."

  Kael returned to the counter and questioned the System in his mind: "What did you mean just now when you said guests from 'other races' have arrived?"

  Pausing, he looked over at the shop assistant. "Shier, did any new customers just come in?"

  "Yes, Boss," Shier pointed toward the shelves on the far side of the room.