Rin and Kai stared at Elina, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.
Elina had been stuck at the late stage of Low-grade for years. No matter how hard she trained, no matter how many times she tried, she could never break through. Everyone had expected her to advance to the early stage of Mid-grade long ago, yet the bottleneck refused to budge.
But now, it was gone.
She could feel it clearly.
Her strength had surged, her mana flowing wider and deeper than ever before. The difference was undeniable. It felt as though she could now face a Low-grade Elite monster head-on—even one at the peak of the late stage.
Slowly, Elina turned toward the store owner. Gratitude filled her eyes.
Everything had started here.
She stood and bowed deeply.
"Thank you," she said earnestly. "Without you, I would never have broken through."
Raeshan waved his hand lightly and shook his head.
"It was your own effort and fortune."
As he spoke, a transparent window suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Hidden Mission Complete]
[First customer to experience a breakthrough after reading manga]
[Reward calculating…]
Raeshan froze, then his eyes widened.
A hidden mission?
He hadn't expected the system to reward him for a customer's breakthrough. His heartbeat quickened as he waited.
[Reward Calculation Complete]
+100 System Points (SP)
+30 Store Reputation
A rush of exhilaration surged through him.
System Points were vital for unlocking future functions, while Store Reputation directly affected system missions. Both were incredibly valuable.
He lowered his voice.
"System interface."
A familiar translucent panel unfolded.
[Manga Store Owner System]
Host Information
Name: Raeshan
Age: 20
Race: Human
Rank: Mortal
Status: Manga Store Owner
Location: Dungeon Town, Human Kingdom
Store Information
Store Name: Fantasy Manga Store
Store Level: 1
Store Currency: 140 SP
Store Reputation: Level 0 (40/100)
Store Security: Basic
Store Condition: Renovated
System Missions
[First Mission]
Sell manga to teen customers within one week
Progress: (3/10)
Reward: Promotion to Tier-1
[Second Mission]
Increase store reputation to Level 1 within one week
Progress: (40/100)
Reward: Uncommon-Grade Lottery Ticket ×1
Raeshan smiled.
Good progress.
He hadn't noticed how much he'd advanced until now. Elina's breakthrough alone had pushed him close to clearing the second mission.
At this rate, both missions would be completed well before the deadline.
On the other side of the store, Rin stared at Elina, who couldn't stop smiling. Then Rin looked down at the manga in her hands.
So it was real.
She had prepared herself mentally, but seeing a breakthrough happen right in front of her was still overwhelming. Without hesitation, she opened her book and began reading, hoping to gain something of her own.
Kai congratulated his sister, unable to hide his joy. Elina had finally reached the early stage of Mid-grade.
After a while, he picked up Volume Two of Element Mage Ascension and began reading.
The story resumed exactly where Volume One ended.
Elean stood facing Devil General Ruhu—the butcher of humans.
Ruhu's presence alone was suffocating. Anyone could tell he was far stronger than Elean, yet Elean didn't retreat.
He struck first.
Blades of fire rained down from the sky, tearing toward Ruhu in a blazing storm. Ruhu calmly raised his sword, meeting the attack head-on. Fire shattered against steel as their powers collided.
The battle dragged on.
Spells clashed, shockwaves tore through the land, but the gap between them became clearer with every exchange. Elean's breathing grew heavier, his movements slower.
Ruhu, on the other hand, smiled.
He was enjoying this—like a predator toying with wounded prey.
Cornered, Elean made a decision.
He stretched out his hand, gripping his wand so tightly his knuckles turned white. Every last drop of mana poured out as he roared his final spell.
"DRAGON BLUSTER ×1!"
A torrent of dragon-shaped flames erupted forward.
Ruhu's eyes widened. The attack came too fast—too sudden.
BOOM!
The sky exploded in fire. The blast lit up the horizon, visible from more than ten kilometers away.
As Elean's vision blurred and his consciousness slipped, he forced himself to look one last time.
Ruhu was still alive.
From the smoke and blood, the devil emerged. One arm was gone, torn clean off. His body was scorched, his face twisted and rotten, like a corpse dragged from hell.
Ruhu stepped forward.
Slowly.
Relentlessly.
He intended to kill Elean himself.
Kai's heart clenched as he read. How could anyone survive that? Seeing Elean lying defenseless made his chest ache. He didn't want to watch him die.
Just as Ruhu raised his sword for the final strike—
A blinding white light flashed.
Ruhu's upper body collapsed to the ground.
Before Elean completely lost consciousness, he saw a red-haired woman forcing a blue potion between his lips.
[A/N: Plot Armor ❞__❞]
Kai's heart pounded.
To kill a monster like Ruhu in an instant—she had to be terrifyingly strong.
Later, the story revealed her identity: the former Archmage of the Magic Tower.
That revelation left Kai stunned.
Volume Two ended with the woman disappearing and Elean walking toward the Elf Queendom.
What an intense volume.
The battle was so vivid that Kai felt his combat instincts sharpen. He desperately wanted to read the next volume, but his wallet was nearly empty.
"Sigh~"
Now their team was different.
His sister was a Mid-grade early-stage mage, while he and Rin were at Low-grade mid-stage. Dungeon exploration was finally within reach.
Thinking about how much money they could earn, Kai felt a spark of excitement. He glanced at his sister, quietly meditating to stabilize her mana, then at Rin, completely absorbed in her manga.
---
Author's Note
If you're enjoying 'Manga Store Owner System' so far, please consider leaving an honest five-star review and adding it to your collection.
Before the end of this year, I hope to reach at least 10 reviews.
Thank you very much for your support.