After some time, Elina opened her eyes and slowly exhaled. The faint glow around her body faded away.
"I'm fine now," she said as she stood up. "My mana is stable."
Kai stood up at once. "How do you feel?"
Elina flexed her fingers, quietly sensing the flow of mana within her body.
"Stronger. Much stronger. I still need real combat to adapt properly, but…" She paused, then smiled.
"I can fight now."
Rin finally looked up from her book. "A dungeon?" she asked, her eyes bright.
Elina nodded. "A safe one. Nothing too deep."
Kai's heartbeat quickened.
Dungeon exploration meant danger, but it also meant money, materials, and experience. For adventurers like them, it was the fastest way forward.
He glanced toward the counter.
Raeshan was calmly arranging books, as if nothing unusual had happened. Still, Kai could not forget what he had just witnessed.
Because of this place. Because of these manga.
His sister had broken through.
Kai hesitated, then spoke, "When we come back, I'll buy the next volume."
Raeshan looked up and smiled. "I'll keep it for you."
The group gathered their belongings and headed for the exit.
Just as they were about to leave, a familiar system sound echoed inside Raeshan's mind.
Ding~
[Kai has experienced spiritual resonance while reading manga. His Battle Insight has increased.]
+20 System Points (SP)
Ding~
[Rin has experienced spiritual resonance while reading manga. Her Battle Insight has increased.]
+20 System Points (SP)
Seeing the system panels, Raeshan smiled.
Today had been a good day. He had sold manga in the morning, but that was not the main point. What mattered more was that he had gained new customers.
If his luck held, completing the first mission would be easy.
Reaching behind the counter, he picked up the third volume of Element Mage Ascension and began reading.
At that same time, tens of kilometers away from Dungeon Town, there stood a Mid-grade dungeon.
This dungeon was famous throughout the region, not simply because of its danger, but because it was a unique dungeon.
In ordinary dungeons, only common monster beasts appeared, and the loot was usually average. Elite monsters spawned at a rate of just 0.01 percent or even lower.
This dungeon was different.
Known as the Soul Valley Dungeon, it was formed from the remnants of Soul Death Valley. Undead monsters wandered freely inside, and the elite monster spawn rate reached 0.1 percent, far higher than normal.
Its resources were even more valuable.
Rare items such as Soul Fruits and Undead Tears were relatively common within the dungeon, yet in the outside world they were considered priceless.
Because of this, countless adventurers flocked here, dreaming of becoming rich overnight.
But there was no free fortune in this world.
Unique dungeons were treasure vaults for powerful guilds, and they never allowed such places to fall into the hands of outsiders.
The Soul Valley Dungeon was jointly controlled by the Black Snake Guild and the Red Rock Guild.
They did not seal the dungeon completely, but any adventurer who wished to enter had to pay an entry fee of ten gold coins and surrender sixty five percent of all loot obtained.
It was nothing short of daylight robbery.
Yet what could the adventurers do? Both guilds were backed by immense power. No one dared to resist. All they could do was swallow their humiliation and comply.
Outside the Soul Valley Dungeon, many Mid-grade parties could be seen coming and going. Some were preparing to challenge the dungeon, while others hoped to make a quick fortune.
Rogue adventurers set up stalls, selling the items they had obtained, filling the area with noise and constant bargaining.
Deep within the dungeon, in its lower levels, a group of adventurers moved cautiously through a dark passage.
Capes bearing the Black Snake Guild emblem rested on their shoulders.
They had come for one purpose: to hunt an elite-class monster known as the Soul Warrior.
Their target was its rare drop, the Soul Orb, which was needed by the guild's vice president to break through to the late stage of Mid-grade.
The team was led by a man in his late thirties, a Mid-grade late-stage warrior and a highly respected member of the Black Snake Guild.
His name was Habek.
He led a team of fifteen adventurers. If he completed this mission, he would earn a promotion within the guild. Having fought Soul Warriors before, he was confident in his strength.
Habek raised his hand, signaling the team to halt.
"Where is the Soul Warrior?" he asked coldly.
One of his subordinates answered, "According to the information we received from the guild, several adventurers spotted it near Bone Valley. We are very close."
Habek's eyes narrowed.
"Good. Move faster. We must complete this mission at any cost."
His tone turned sharp. "Anyone who disobeys my orders will not be spared."
"Yes, sir," the team replied in unison.
After few steps Bone Valley soon came into view.
The ground was littered with broken bones and cracked skulls, pale remains piled like small hills. A cold, deathly aura hung in the air, seeping into the skin.
Every step made a faint crunch, as if the valley itself were hollow.
The Black Snake Guild team slowed their pace.
Then they saw it.
A lone rogue adventurer was running for his life, blood trailing from a deep wound in his leg. Behind him walked a tall figure, dragging a massive blade forged from darkened bone.
The Soul Warrior. [Img]
Green flames burned inside its hollow eye sockets. With a single heavy swing, it cut through the air and cleaved the rogue in half. Blood splattered across the bones below.
The body hit the ground.
Silence followed.
None of the Black Snake members reacted.
Habek watched calmly, his expression cold.
"Ignore him," he said. "Form up."
The Soul Warrior turned its head, sensing new prey. Its armor rattled as it raised its blade and let out a hollow roar that echoed through Bone Valley.
"Archers and mages, suppress it," Habek ordered. "Frontline, with me."
The team moved at once.
Arrows flew first, followed by bursts of fire and lightning. The attacks slammed into the Soul Warrior, forcing it back a step, but it did not fall.
Habek charged.
His sword flashed as he aimed for the monster's neck. Steel collided with bone, sparks bursting into the air. The force of the strike pushed the Soul Warrior backward.
It answered immediately.
The massive blade came down in a brutal arc. Habek blocked just in time, his feet sinking into the bone-covered ground from the impact.
"So strong," he muttered, a tight grin on his face.
The Soul Warrior pressed on, swinging again and again. Each blow carried crushing force. Habek met it head-on, trading strikes while his teammates supported him from behind.
Spells slammed into the monster's joints. Arrows pierced gaps in its armor. A shield bearer rushed in, drawing its attention.
Then the Soul Warrior slammed its blade into the ground.
A wave of dark energy exploded outward.
Two adventurers were sent flying. One crashed into a bone pillar and collapsed, unmoving. Another screamed as his arm bent at a terrible angle.
"Pull back the injured," Habek shouted. "Do not break formation."
The Soul Warrior advanced, faster now.
Its blade pierced straight through a shield bearer's chest, lifting him off the ground before tossing the corpse aside like trash.
Blood soaked into the valley floor.
Habek gritted his teeth and stepped forward, pushing his mana to the limit. His sword glowed as he struck again and again, carving deep cracks into the Soul Warrior's armor.
The monster staggered.
But it did not fall.
Instead, it grabbed one of Habek's men by the head and crushed it with a sickening crunch.
Fear spread through the team.
"We're losing people," someone shouted.
"Shut up," Habek barked. "Hold your ground."
He knew the truth.
This Soul Warrior was stronger than expected.
Several of his men were dead. Others were badly injured, barely able to stand. Yet the Soul Warrior still stood tall, the green flames in its eyes burning brighter than before.
Habek wiped the blood from his mouth and tightened his grip on his sword.
"There's no retreat," he said quietly. "If we fail here, we die here."
The Soul Warrior raised its blade and charged once more.
The battle was far from over.
---
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 month , I hope to reach at least 10 reviews.
Thank you very much for your support.