Kadyn entered the shop when he heard the announcement, eager to learn more. “Free rewards? Complete Assimilation? I don’t understand.” He murmured, unsure what that meant.

“Free Rewards are one time rewards that the Host will receive. From henceforth Host has to complete missions to get the rewards. As for Complete Assimilation, it is the combination of your body and soul. This body does not belong to the Host, therefore it needed some time to assimilate.”

As Kadyn whispered his doubt, a very lifelike voice jolted him awake and looked around in shock. “Who are you?” he squeaked when failed to discover anyone’s trace around him.

“I am the one who will make you the greatest being in this world and beyond,” again a proud voice jerked into his head, blabbing nonsense as if people of this world were meagre ants.

Kadyn rolled his eyes at this shameless bragging. “How would you do that, and most importantly, why would you do that?” he probed, not sure why his heart felt no fear after hearing this strange voice in his heart. On the contrary, he was calm, as still as water.

“It isn’t important right now,” replied the voice, as if getting annoyed by his questions. “Now claim your free rewards.”

Though Kadyn wanted to know more, he knew better not to press no further after hearing the scowl filled with irritation and suppressed the urge to probe in his heart. “Umm… so how am I going to claim… umm… free rewards?”

“You just need to think about the reward, and you could see the detailed window and claim them.” 

Kadyn did as he was told, and a screen appeared in front of him. “Elementary Level Shop? What does it mean?”

“There is no meaning, it is what it looks like.” 

‘Silence’

“Elementary Potion Knowledge?” when he failed to get the answer, he proceeded to another reward. “Potion? Love Potion? Is it something like that?”

There was a brief silence before a reply. “Yes, something like that.”

“No, no, no,” Kadyn interrupted. “I am not that kind of person. I won’t use love potions to seduce women. I can make any girl wet under her thighs with my dashing look, anyway. Don’t you agree?”

‘Silence.’

Kadyn laughed awkwardly when he heard nothing and turned towards successive goodies. “Elementary Formation Knowledge? Elementary Artisan Knowledge? 100 Energy Points? What are those?”

“You will know when you claim them.” He heard an impatient tone and rolled his eyes, proceeding towards another reward with a hollow laugh. His questions must have thoroughly nettled the person. ‘Maybe my questions are nothing but stupid and childish.’

“Yeah, you got that right.” 

“Wha-what?” Kadyn jerked and voiced. “You can hear my thoughts!?”

‘No reply.’

The next reward’s name was Pengolla Portal, and he still had no idea what that might be. Learned by previous mistakes, he remained silent and turned at the final and last reward, a Magic Formula.

[Do you want to claim the rewards? Yes or no?]

Once more Kadyn heard the mechanical sound, different from the one he talked to. “Yes,” he replied.

[The shop needs twenty-four hours to complete its upgrading.]

[Pengolla Portal is unavailable for the time being. Wait for the shop upgrade to complete.]

[Energy Points are unavailable as the host’s profile isn’t visible yet. Wait twenty-four hours.]

[Elementary Formation Knowledge Scroll is available.]

As the notification sounded, a scroll appeared in his hand and before he could check the content inside, another ding attracted his attention.

[Elementary Potion Knowledge Scroll is available.]

[Elementary Artisan Knowledge Scroll is available.]

[Magic Formula is available.]

Three more scrolls fell in his hand out of nowhere. As he stood silently with a dumbstruck expression. Not expecting something as magical as this.

“Drop the blood on the scroll to assimilate the knowledge inside.” The voice once more became normal. “I would suggest that you start with Magic Formula Scroll, as the information inside other scrolls is useless without awakening at least five stars.”

Though he did not completely understand the meaning, Kadyn still nodded and dropped the blood on the Magic Formula Scroll. In the same moment, he felt a vast amount of information rushing through his head. He saw himself from inside out and every working—the mouth, throat, stomach, large and small intestines, liver, pancreas, and gallbladder all working together, as the digestive system, to process the food he ate so that the cells can absorb the nutrients and convert it into energy.

The circulatory system moved blood, nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and hormones around the body, comprising the heart, blood, blood vessels, arteries and veins—one by one all the functions of the body revealed in front of his eyes as if he was looking at the movie and studded into his memory like words on a sheet.

At last he saw a scene inside his consciousness. Ten large pools of different colours floated in the vast space of his consciousness; they looked in a separate space and time, blurry and full of mysterious vibes. Kadyn knew nothing of those ten pools. However, one of those pools appeared to be more vivid and with extra details. It flickered with silver light now and then, unlike other nine pools, and that was it.

Then the scene changed, and he saw a process: a small line—though he had no idea what it was—travelled from every part of his body, and he once more saw the working process as he did before. After travelling throughout his body, the line reached his consciousness and joined with the ten pools that stood inside. 

[Elemental Chaos Formula!]

Kadyn opened his eyes, filled with bewilderment, shock, and disbelief. He understood what just happened. It was a formula for awakening his Magic Stars! But his predecessor could not awaken a single star after such a long time and his body was the same as him, so what was the use of this formula? He sighed, disheartened. 

“He could not awaken his stars, not because he was talentless, but because he was far more talented than anyone in this world and beyond. Though his soul wasn’t powerful enough to match his body’s talent and that was the reason behind his condition.” 

Kadyn raised his brows, hearing the explanation, and reckoned. “With his soul, his talent was useless, so you arranged my visit in this world.” No reply.

“Knock! Knock!”

As he was evaluating the situation, someone knocked on the door. Kadyn turned and went to look. Maybe a customer, he thought. 

“Hello, sir,” stood a man in a black coat and black pants and white shirt, looking like a professional employee of some company. Behind him, ten more people stood and their clothes weren’t the same as his, but like roadside workers. “I am here to renovate your shop, Sir.”

“What?” Kadyn’s face turned perplexed. He asked no company to renovate his shop. ‘What is going on?’ He peered at the man in black and narrowed his eyes. “Sorry, I have no intention…”

“He is here to upgrade the shop,” the voice sounded in his head.

“What?” 

“Free reward: Elementary Level shop.”

——

Kadyn placed his bicycle in front of his house and chained it. Then peeked at the garden but became disappointed when he found no one there. He knocked two times on the door and waited for his mom to open it.

The click sounded, and the door creaked before opening, and Salona peered from within. “You are already here, huh? Come, it is already lunchtime.” She smiled at her son with motherly love and dragged him by the wrist.

“Go, wash yourself,” she said after entering. “Food is ready, and your sister isn’t coming home early today, due to her upcoming competition.”

Kadyn looked at his mother in confusion. “What kind of competition?”

“Have you already forgotten?” she smiled bitterly. “It is an inter-school competition. There wasn’t a healing competition ever before. This is the first time the school is going to hold such a competition. That is why she is very enthusiastic about it.”

Kadyn nodded and went to his room to refresh. He didn’t even hear completely what his mother said, as something else had occupied his thoughts. ‘How the fuck he went to order those people? Is he also a human living in the city? Then how could he enter my head?’

“I am not a human,” a voice replied, “and those people weren’t actual people.”

“What do you mean?”

“They are just illusions I made to avoid future troubles.”

“What future troubles?”

“What do you think people would do if your shop evolved abruptly and became something else, out of nowhere?”

Kadyn fell silent and nodded inwardly, understanding what he was trying to say. Suddenly, his eyes flashed. “If you aren’t human, then what are you? God?” he said and shook his head.

There was a brief silence before Kadyn heard the voice. “You can call me Magic Shop System.”

“System?”

“Yes.”

“Sounds cool!”

“I know I am cool.”

“…”