Magic Shop System

The entire city was in chaos due to sudden development in the situation. Zephyr was about to attack Avibria City. At this moment, Barret had taken the charge of the city and fortified it, placing guards on the city walls to watch the situation around the city. 

Association Leader Barret had sent most of the people in the Upper Town from the Lower Town. Unfortunately, the population of the Lower Town was far greater than the Upper Town. Not everyone could shelter themselves there; people panicked and the city had descended into utter chaos. No one wants to die after all.

Barret tried to control the situation and calm down the panicked people; however, it made little difference to change the overall condition of the city as the terror had already spread amongst the citizens. No one was ready to hear the explanation. Some people even tried to leave the city. However the gates had been already closed, and guards refused to open them. Barret didn't want anyone to leave the city, or the condition would only worsen at that time.

"Sir, do you really not want to move to the Upper Town?" Barret looked at Kadyn and asked. He seemed pale at the moment while his body was covered in sweat. The man looked pathetic at the moment, but Kadyn knew that he was under too much pressure at the moment. He looked at Barret and shook his head. "I'll stay in the shop." He replied.

Barret nodded and didn't bring the same topic again. He knew that the shop might be the safest place in the entire city as he had experienced its power himself. He never felt as helpless as that time ever in his life. 

However, Zephyr was too powerful. He doubted that the shop could hold against her. That's why he tried to bring Kadyn into the Upper Town. Kadyn looked at his sincere expression and smiled. Then asked. "Didn't the Association send any Rank 3 elders to confront Zephyr?"

A deep sigh left from Barret's mouth. "You don't know the situation." He said. "When the first time Zephyr started attacking about half a month ago, Association sent an elder who was at Rank 3." He looked at Kadyn and sighed. "Do you know what was the outcome was?"

"Elder was defeated?" Kadyn said unsurely.

Barret shook his head yet again and stared at Kadyn before replying. "He was slaughtered in less than two minutes. Elder was completely helpless; he couldn't even escape, much less battle against Zephyr."

Kadyn's expression changed after hearing Barret's words. Then he asked. "So now the Association is afraid of Zephyr and won't send any elders so as not to antagonise it anymore, huh?"

Barret looked at Kadyn with an embarrassed face and nodded.

"Hmph! What a bunch of cowards. They should just die instead." He sneered. Then he turned towards Barret. "You can go back now." He said. "If your people want to buy artefacts, send someone here. Of course, he needs to have enough money."

The latter's eyes twitched, but he still nodded. He didn't want to upset this demon, or he would die even before Zephyr could claim his life. He said his farewell and walked out of the shop.

After sending Barret, he turned around and saw Artisan Hot Rod standing behind him at the gate of the Artisan Hall. "What are you standing there for? Didn't I tell you to forge at least ten Elementary Artifacts before coming out?"

Hot Rod looked at Kadyn and replied fawningly. "I've already finished the mission, Sir."

"That was fast." He looked at him and complimented him. Then said, "It seems forging Elementary Artifacts is nothing for you." Before Hot Rod could feel proud. Kadyn said. "Hmm, then forge a Rank 1(Common Rank) Artifact. The more the merrier."

"Sir," Hot Rod glanced at Kadyn pitifully.

"What?" Kadyn narrowed his eyes as he looked at the man.

"It's not that I don't want to forge Common Rank Artifact but I don't have Cauldron." He stared at Kadyn's confused expression and knew that he was completely clueless about the forging beyond the level of Elementary Rank. So he explained. "At the Elementary Rank, we can just use a furnace that blacksmiths use. 

"However if someone wants to create a Common Rank Artifact he has to use a cauldron to purify impurities in the metal. After all, higher-level metals aren't as easy to purify as Elementary Rank. 

"They need to be burned at a higher temperature. Furthermore, we add all kinds of different metals and different worldly treasures to further improve the quality of the artefacts. However, we can't do those things without a cauldron."

Kadyn frowned and stared at Hot Rod before speaking. "Don't you have your own cauldron?"

"I do have a cauldron." Hot Rod replied. "But I left it in Glont City when I came to attend the auction."

"We don't have any metal left to forge, fathe…" at this moment Dion(Hot Rod's son) walked out of the Artisan Hall. However, when his gaze fell on the face in front of him, his body stiffened. He looked at Kadyn with fear and turned pale. After all, he acted too arrogantly in front of Kadyn.

Kadyn ignored him and once again turned to Hot Rod and said. "We will talk about it after the situation calms down in the city."

As Hot Rod nodded and Kadyn walked in another direction, leaving the father and son duo behind. 

He was thinking that why the hell that damned dragon was after him, and he reached a single conclusion— 

At this moment he pushed open the door of his meditation room and peered at the corner where he saw an egg. "Hmm?" he let out a surprised muffle. 

The egg, which was supposed to be white and covered in blue lines, had completely transformed. It was no more in its previous form and had changed its colour. Red. It looked as if the fire was burning inside it.

"Why its colour changed?" Kadyn thought out loud. "Previously, its colour matched with the Zephyr so I thought it belonged to her. Now it doesn't look like her egg. What's going on?"

He strode toward the egg and held it in his hand. Shortly, he felt a burning sensation on his hand. "Damn." He cried as he felt a biting sensation over his hand and activated his fire element to resist the heat. 

However, as soon as he tried to resist the heat coming from the egg, something even more shocking happened. His mana was sucked by the egg, before he could react his entire fire pool had depleted of mana. He tumbled back with a terrified expression.

"What the fuck is going on here?!" He was completely horrified and threw the egg on the ground in panic. His face was dark, clouded with confusion. 

He thought that if the situation went out of control he would return the egg to Zephyr. However, this sudden change made Kadyn ponder over the situation again. This egg definitely did not belong to Zephyr.

Kadyn wiped the sweat from his temple and once more glanced at the egg. He moved forward once more and held it, this time he didn't activate his element to resist. On the contrary, he used authority as the shop owner to suppress the egg. 

Suddenly it calmed down and its surface also cooled. Now he could hold it without worrying about burning. Kadyn looked at the egg and chuckled. "No matter what you are and why that damn dragon is so obsessed with you. I will know it eventually.

After that, he placed the egg at the corner and once more looked at the egg before walking out of the room. However, as soon as he walked out the crimson light burst out of the egg and surrounded from all sides. If Kadyn was here he would see complex runes over the surface of the egg.

….

Roar!

As soon as he walked out of the room he heard a deafening roar that made the entire city tremble. He looked into the horizon and a serious expression appeared on his face. "She is here at last." He murmured. He looked around and saw everyone was present at the moment, staring in the distant sky with fearful faces.

"All of you," as he said, everyone turned towards him. "No matter what happens. Never step a foot outside the shop. Am I clear?"

No one replied. 

Kadyn frowned and once more shouted. "Am I clear?!"

"Ye-yes." Hot Rod was the first one to reply. Then others also followed. Except one. Kadyn looked at Elora and asked. "I asked, am I clear?" Elora wanted to argue with him but looking at his frowning face, she bit her lip and nodded reluctantly. Only then Kadyn's expression improved. He looked at Khrom and said. "You look after her. Make sure she won't do something stupid."

Then he looked at the Hot Rod. "You are the strongest person here. If something untoward happens to any of my people. I'll hold you accountable."

Hot Rod shrugged his shoulders and nodded. Then Kadyn turned around and dashed out of the shop. He didn't take the egg with him because he wanted to keep his bargain chip to the end with him. He would give it away only if he had no other choice. After all, he can't just watch while thousands of people are being slaughtered because of him.

Roar!

He peered in the sky and saw a dot in the distance that was moving towards Avibria city with an insane speed. As the shadow neared, Kadyn saw its appearance. "Indeed, it's that bitch!" he cursed as he dashed towards the city walls where Barret was commanding the troops.