Elina was the first to react.
She stepped forward, eyes fixed on Kai, her expression tight with disbelief.
Kai felt it too. Something inside him had shifted.
The aura around his body was unstable and new, but there was no mistaking it.
"…You broke through," Elina said quietly.
Kai blinked, still catching his breath. He looked down at his hands, slowly clenching and unclenching his fingers.
The strength felt different. Lighter. Smoother.
As if his body was finally listening to him.
"I… I think so," he said. "My chest started hurting all of a sudden, and then everything just flowed."
Rin let out a low sound.
"You're kidding me," she muttered, walking in a slow circle around him. "We fight a few horned hounds and you decide to rank up in the middle of it?"
She stopped in front of him and jabbed a finger at his chest.
"That's not normal."
Kai scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly.
"I didn't plan it," he said. "It just happened."
Elina stayed silent.
Her gaze moved from Kai to the corpses on the ground, then back to him.
She had seen many breakthroughs before, but never one this clean, and never in the middle of combat.
"…Your movements were different," she said at last.
Kai hesitated, then nodded.
"When I moved, it felt familiar," he said. "Like I had already done it before. My body just followed."
Rin crossed her arms.
"Don't tell me," Elina said, her eyes narrowing, "that weird book you bought yesterday?"
Kai stiffened.
"…Yeah."
Elina's fingers tightened around her staff.
For a brief moment, Kai remembered how she had looked last night when he tried to explain it. The strange shop. The unfamiliar name. The illustrated book that made no sense.
She had called it ridiculous.
Now, doubt crept into her eyes.
"We'll talk about that later," Elina said. "For now, secure the area."
Rin nodded and moved off to scout, her usual relaxed expression gone.
Kai took a deep breath.
His heart was still pounding, but this time it was not fear.
It was excitement.
Rin moved swiftly through the clearing, eyes sharp as she checked the brush and tree line.
"Area's clear," she called back. "No other tracks. Looks like those four were it."
Elina nodded and relaxed her grip on her staff.
"Good. Kai, help me finish them."
"Right."
They worked in silence, cutting horns and collecting usable materials.
Kai moved carefully at first, still adjusting to the changes in his body. Each motion felt smoother, more controlled.
Even simple movements wasted less effort.
Elina watched him from the corner of her eye.
It was subtle, but she could see it. His posture, his balance, even his breathing.
This was not a lucky breakthrough.
When they finished, Rin leaned against a tree.
"Well," she said, exhaling, "this hunt turned out better than expected."
Kai smiled awkwardly.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to cause trouble."
Rin snorted.
"If breaking through is trouble, feel free to cause more of it."
Elina shot her a look.
"Don't encourage him."
She turned back to Kai.
"How do you feel?"
Kai thought for a moment.
"Tired," he said. "But good. Really good."
Elina nodded.
"That's normal. We stop here for today. No more fighting."
Rin raised an eyebrow.
"Already?"
"Yes. His foundation is still settling. Pushing further would be stupid."
Rin shrugged.
"Fine by me."
Kai let out a breath he had not realized he was holding.
They gathered their things and headed back toward Dungeon Town.
The tension of battle faded as the forest sounds returned.
But the excitement in Kai's chest refused to settle.
And in Elina's mind, one thought refused to leave.
That store.
Inside Dungeon Town, in the Fantasy Manga Store. Raeshan was jolted awake by a familiar mechanical sound echoing inside his head.
Ding… Dong~
[Host, as a Manga Store Owner, you must wake up early to open the store]
"…."
He stared at the ceiling in silence.
Then he groaned and buried his face in the pillow.
Ding… Dong~
[Host, as a Manga Store Owner, you must wake up early to open the store]
"Damn it…"
He rolled over and sat up, rubbing his eyes.
"Don't tell me I really became a system slave," he muttered. "Isn't this how all those novel protagonists start?"
The notification did not disappear.
With a tired sigh, Raeshan got out of bed. He washed his face, changed clothes, and tried to shake off the sleepiness.
"At least let me eat first."
After locking the store, he headed toward the Rabbit Moon Tavern.
The place was already lively. The smell of fresh bread, roasted meat, and hot soup drifted into the street.
Adventurers filled the tables, some half asleep, others loudly sharing plans for the day.
Raeshan found a seat near the window and ordered breakfast.
As he waited, he leaned back and stretched.
"Alright," he said quietly, a faint smile forming.
---
Author's Note: I think the power system in the story might be a bit confusing, so I want to clarify it here.
Tier 1: Low grade, early stage
Tier 2: Low grade, mid stage
Tier 3: Low grade, late stage
Tier 4: Mid grade, early stage
Tier 5: Mid grade, mid stage
Tier 6: Mid grade, late stage
Tier 7: High grade, early stage
Tier 8: High grade, mid stage
Tier 9: High grade, late stage
---
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