Kadyn opened the gate and headed into the main shop. The first thing that fell in his view was the counter and a chair behind it. He saw something written on the wall, Lottery. Below was a Spinning Wheel divided into ten parts. Five blanks and five filled with goodies.

After that he peered deeper, and there was a room—Mana and Time Acceleration Room(Meditation Room). Without hum and haw, he entered. A huge formation had been constructed on the floor, and the formation covered every nook and cranny of the room. 

[The owner requires four energy points every hour to practice here.]

A notification sounded inside his head when he examined the formation. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “What are the benefits for practicing here?” he asked.

“The magic practice will speed up by five times, and the time acceleration by two—one hour here is only half an hour outside.” The System explained. “Previously, you saw the Magic Acceleration Room outside. That is for the customers, and could not slow down the time, and would only speed up magic practice.”

After that he hustled towards the Practicing Room, as there was no distinctive place for him to practice, like the Magic and Time Acceleration Room(Meditation Room). He gawked into the room. But there was nothing inside—except white walls. “How does this practice room work?”

“You just need to think about the setting, and the type of enemy you want. Then you will understand everything.”

Kadyn did as he was told, and his surroundings changed. He stood on a vast grassland and a large, vicious looking tiger strolled in his direction with a slow and steady pace. Kadyn spotted the creature, and his body stiffened.  His face paled and his body trembled. “What the fuck!?”

With no delay he spun round to escape, but when he spotted the scenery behind, his expression became sluggish, and the sluggishness transformed into fear, and fear drenched his back in a cold sweat. He had nowhere to run. There was only a vast grassland in every direction.

“Wh-what’s going on?!” he squealed, but no one answered and his panic only increased, looking at the decreasing distance between him and the tiger.

“Roar!”

The beast roared, and he staggered in terror and fell on his butt. The tiger stood just five meters away from him, staring with its maroon eyes. “Sa-save me! Someone!” he screamed, and the tiger lunged.

Kadyn tried to crawl, and the tears rolled from his eyes, and the snot filled his nose. However in just a blink, he was under the paws of the vicious tiger, digging into his chest, and pinning on the grassy land. He tried to struggle, but to no avail. The tiger growled and tore off his right arm with its sharp fangs. 

“Ahhh!!!”

Kadyn gave an agonised shriek. He fumbled and struggled under the tiger, as blood painted the ground and sprayed like water in the fountain. 

“Crunch~ Crunch~”

The tiger crunched the arm under its sharp fangs, and blood dripped over Kadyn’s face. He felt cold clutching his heart, and darkness falling over his eyes. After munching over an arm, the tiger moved for another limb and another and another, and Kadyn screamed and screamed and screamed, until his throat became hoarse and his eyes started to lose their lustre. Until his every part was torn and eaten, until he lost the will to struggle.

The darkness drowned and engulfed his consciousness. The pain and misery he felt faded slowly, and the warm feeling filled his body. He felt as if he was reborn, and opened his eyes, looking around—white walls greeted him. No trace of a tiger, and he examined his body.  No wound could be found. Though covered in sweat. 

“Wh-what was that?” he stammered and wiped the sweat from his pale face.

“That’s how the practice room works.” The System replied.

“But that was too painful.”

“You can decrease the pain through that screen on the wall beside the door. Just now, you have gone through 70% pain.”

Kadyn peered behind him at the screen beside the door and saw a minus-plus sign. The value was seventy. He couldn’t help but sigh. The screen was just behind him, therefore when he entered, he failed to notice it. He had to go through so much suffering and pain. He shuddered, remembering the agony from before.

“Umm… is this thing free?” he asked when he noticed that System deducted no energy points from his profile.

“All the services that are available to the customers are free for you.”

——

Kadyn sat at the center of the formation, and closed his eyes, and activated the Elemental Chaos Formula. The air trembled and swirls of energy formed, surrounding his body. Mana rushed through his body. Kadyn felt as if he was filled with tremendous energy and a warm, comforting feeling. Afterwards the mana divided into ten lines and reached his consciousness where pools hung in the air.

With no delay Kadyn guided the energy lines towards the Elemental Pools and immediately felt connected with them—the meditation continued, and an hour passed.

[One hour passed: 100-4→96]

Kadyn unceasingly guided mana through his body according to the Elemental Chaos Formula and felt the comfort he never did before, and he’d not realised that the more immersed he became, the faster swirls formed around his body.

[Fire element has been activated. Activated Magic Stars—>0]

After the five minutes of the second hour he activated the fire element. Though he was completely immersed in meditation and did not realise the change.

[Wind element has been activated. Activated Magic Stars—>0]

[Lightning element has been activated. Activated Magic Stars—>0]

[Psychic element has been activated. Activated Magic Stars—>0…]

One after another total eight elements activated, but the Blessing element remained inactive.

The time passed, and four hours went by, and he activated two magic stars in this time. Fire and summoning both activated one magic star.

[One hour passed: 88-4—>84]

And at this moment Kadyn opened his eyes, feeling invigorating and refreshing and marveling energy throughout his body. He took a deep breath and stood up, stretching his body and twisting his wrist. He walked out of the room and sat on the chair in front of the counter. Though he practiced four hours, only two passed outside.

“Excuse me.” Five minutes later, Kadyn heard a deep voice. He eyed ahead of him, and saw a sixteen-year-old boy, with black hair, and brown eyes, and thin body. He was wearing the uniform of the Glumsore School of Wizardry.

“Yes?” Kadyn raised his eyebrows, looking at the boy.

“Umm…” the boy gazed at Kadyn and hesitated, seeing how young he was. Not over eighteen-years-old. “Sir… is-is this really a magic shop?”

“Didn’t you notice the board outside?” he replied annoyedly.

“No… uhh… I mean I did, but why does someone want to open a magic shop in the Lower Town?”

“Of course, for the greater good of the world?” Kadyn said righteously. “I want to empower the poor and lead them to conquer the world.”

“Uhh…” the boy lest speechless, hearing his sarcasm. This shop owner has a peculiar temperament. He thought. “What services do you offer?”

“There are only two services for the time being. Magic Acceleration Room and Practice Room.” He replied languidly. “200 dollars for the former, for one hour meditation. 100 for latter, for one practice match.”

The boy had a suspicious look on his face. Though he never enjoyed the services of the Magic Shop. He knew well that they cost far higher than this. “Are you sure?” he inquired.

“Are you a customer… or a spy?” Kadyn was on the verge of outburst, but he took a few deep breaths, calming himself. “Do you want any service, if not, please leave?”

“Alright, alright.” The boy said in irritation when he saw Kadyn’s glaring eyes. “I will check out the Magic Acceleration Room for an hour.”

“200 dollar.”

“Sure,” the boy said, and took out his phone. 

“No online payment. Only cash.”

    “…”

After paying, the boy went towards the Magic Acceleration Room, while Kadyn grinned in triumph after getting his first customer… and two hundred dollars means  2 energy points.

[Converting cash into energy points: 84+2→86]

[Hidden quest ‘First Customer’ completed. Energy reward: 86+10—>96]

[Mission: Awaken five magic stars of a single element. Reward: Level 1 Spell.]