[ Affirmative Host. You need to overcome this trial to grow. ]
"I knew it," Jonathan disputed with the system words.
Ting!
The soft bell of the door opening resonated in the room. Jonathan's expression instantly lit up as he perked up and looked in the direction of the door.
He froze.
Standing at the entrance were two women dressed in flowing white dresses, each with a white sash tied into a rose. Their faces were hidden behind a white veil. While one woman had light skin with light blue hair cascading freely behind her. The other one had dark skin and light blue hair, tied in locs, pouring freely down her back.
They looked like otherworldly figures who had just stepped into the mortal world, their surroundings shining faintly.
Jonathan swallowed hard. Even though he couldn't see their face, he could tell they were extremely beautiful.
After being transported from the modern world, how could he not react fiercely upon encountering a beauty capable of toppling nations and kingdoms?
However, Jonathan quickly remembered his position as the store manager and forced himself to regain his composure.
Meanwhile, the two women stared into the store, their expressions a mix of shock, surprise, and curiosity.
The woman with cascading hair was Kafla, while the one with locs was Tiana.
Both were Ascendants and inner disciples of the Ice Phoenix Sect. Although it wasn't one of the Five Great Heroic Institutes, it remained a major power in the Great Fire Lion Kingdom, its influence second only to theirs.
Some sects, kingdoms, and clans possessed a deeper heritage and foundation than even the Five Great Heroic Institutes. However, due to the Institutes' crucial role in stabilising the world and pushing back the Nightmare, and their Kings, with the backing of their allied Institutes from other races, they had become some of the most formidable forces across the world.
Since the available spots to join the Great Heroic Institutes were limited, Kafla and Tiana had accompanied their sect elders to scout for promising talents they could recruit.
But as registration was still ongoing and the main competitions had yet to begin, they decided to wander around the City.
Unfortunately, they lost their way and ended up in a rundown area.
Fortunately, they encountered a passerby who gave them directions to leave quickly. However, just as they were about to turn back, they noticed an old man stepping out of a small store, releasing a powerful aura — that of a Grandmaster, one comparable to that of their sect elders.
The two were instantly on guard, thinking they were about to be attacked. To their surprise, the old man merely retracted his aura, gave them a respectful nod, and disappeared into thin air.
After a brief deliberation, they decided to enter the store to investigate. They had already sent messages to their sect elders, informing them of their location, and, as inner disciples of the Ice Phoenix Sect, no one would dare harm them.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Senior Sister?" Kafla asked cautiously.
"We're only taking a quick look around. There's no need to worry," Tiana replied calmly. "Besides, few would dare to touch us after learning our identity, unless they wish to incur the wrath of the Ice Phoenix Sect."
However, the moment Kafla and Tiana stepped into the store, they were immediately taken aback. The interior looked nothing like the shabby exterior they had seen from outside.
Before they could make sense of the absurd contrast between the inside and outside of the store, a sudden chill brushed against their skin.
Both froze in place. Their eyes widened in shock and disbelief. Even as inner disciples of the Ice Phoenix Sect, they had never felt such a high concentration of pure, refined mana.
How could so much mana be contained within this single store? Instantly, their bodies tensed as they went on guard. Remembering the aura of the figure they had seen earlier, they immediately suspected they had stepped into an area they weren't supposed to be in.
Kafla and Tiana exchanged glances, both thinking the same thing: they needed to leave and report this to their sect elders as soon as possible, in case whoever was behind this came looking to cause trouble.
However, not wanting to look suspicious, they forced themselves to remain calm and pretended to browse the store.
Suddenly, a clear male voice cut through the air, snapping them out of their thoughts.
"Welcome to the Dimensional Convenience Store. We bring the finest products from across dimensions. Please make your selection at your convenience," Jonathan said, smiling as he looked at the two beauties.
Tiana and Kafla had noticed Jonathan's presence the moment they entered, but they had paid him no attention, sensing only the aura of an ordinary human. Their focus was entirely on the store's surreal interior.
Upon hearing his words, they finally turned their attention toward him.
"What should we do, senior sister?" Kafla whispered softly.
"Since we're already here, we might as well try to gather as much information as we can," Tiana replied calmly. "I'm certain the sect will be very interested in a place like this. And if we make a good discovery, who knows what kind of reward they might grant us."
Kafla's eyes lit up in realisation, and she nodded immediately.
After a brief pause, the two stepped forward toward the counter.
"Greetings," Tiana said politely. "Could you please tell us what you sell in this store?"
Her and Kafla's eyes gleamed as they examined the strange items displayed on the counter and the shelves. Many of them, along with the artefacts, were unlike anything they had ever seen. Even the murals on the walls were subtly shifting as though alive.
They blinked several times, wondering if they were caught in an illusion, but upon realising they weren't, they continued to observe the surroundings while waiting for Jonathan's answer.
"These are Spicy Dragon Flavour Instant Noodles," Jonathan said with a polite smile. "A substitute that can serve as a quick meal. It's priced at one High-Grade Mana Crystal. And this," he gestured to the black can with red bubbling strips beside it, "is Koka Kola. A beverage. It costs one Medium-Grade Mana Crystal per can."