"Well, look who it is. What brings the Young Master to our humble training grounds?"

  Several soldiers, who had been mid-drill, wiped the sweat from their brows and paused their training, gathered around with looks of genuine curiosity.

  Because Qin Shi had lacked any cultivation aptitude, he had historically avoided the training grounds like the plague. His sudden appearance was a breath of fresh air for the bored infantrymen.

  "Young Master, are you here for an official inspection?"

  "Or perhaps you’ve come to personally evaluate the fruits of our labor?" several soldiers chimed in, grinning.

  "Neither," Qin Shi replied nonchalantly. "I’m just here to borrow the Mana Testing Stone for a bit of magic practice."

  The soldiers exchanged bewildered glances.

  Practice magic?

  If they hadn't known about Qin Shi's absolute lack of talent for years, they might have actually believed him. No one was tactless enough to call him out directly, but they all began to follow him with mischievous glints in their eyes, eager to witness the Young Master's inevitable embarrassment.

  In the center of the grounds stood a pitch-black stone pillar. It was nearly thick enough to require five grown men to encircle it with their arms and towered nearly ten meters high. Its surface was marred by countless cracks and scorch marks.

  This was the Mana Testing Stone.

  These black pillars possessed high resistance to magical energy. However, because they were both incredibly hard and brittle—and possessed immense weight—they were primarily used to measure the raw destructive force of spells or to practice spellcasting precision.

  "Young Master, this is the Testing Stone," Sanzhuzi, the guard, explained as they arrived.

  "So, this is it," Qin Shi murmured. He stepped forward, reaching out to touch the cold, dark surface of the pillar.

  The soldiers huddled nearby, waiting to see what he would do next. Then, they saw a spark of fire flicker into existence.

  "Fireball!"

  Qin Shi unceremoniously channeled the mana within his body, manifesting a fireball. It was barely the size of a fist and wobbled precariously through the air before colliding with the pillar's surface and dissolving into a few pathetic sparks.

  Not a single scratch or scorch mark was left on the stone. By any standard, the power of this spell was pitiful—hardly worth looking at.

  And yet, those tiny sparks were undeniably the product of a Fireball spell. It was magic that only a true Mage could cast!

  The soldiers, who had been prepared to laugh, stood paralyzed. Their eyes bulged in collective shock. Sanzhuzi looked like his eyeballs were about to pop out of their sockets; his expression was one of pure, unadulterated disbelief.

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  "Did I just hallucinate that?"

  "I don't think so... I saw it too."

  The soldiers rubbed their eyes vigorously, trying to force their brains to accept what they had seen.

  "I must be dreaming. I just saw the Young Master cast a spell."

  "I pinched my leg and didn't feel a thing. This has to be a dream."

  "Dammit! If you want to know if you're dreaming, pinch yourself! Why did you pinch me?!"

  After several soldiers either felt the sting of a self-inflicted pinch or a punch from a neighbor, they finally confirmed they were awake.

  "The Young Master really used magic! He actually came here to practice!"

  "This is big! We need to report this to the City Lord immediately!"

  A few of the more quick-witted soldiers immediately broke into a sprint toward the camp exit. The remaining soldiers stayed behind, staring at Qin Shi in stunned silence, their jaws hanging low.

  As night deepened, Kael closed the shop doors.

  Shier seemed particularly intrigued by the New World Mode. As soon as the shop was locked, she settled into a booth. She knew better than anyone that she shouldn't pass up any opportunity to increase her strength. Having watched the customers all day, she was well aware of the benefits this mode provided.

  "Shier, don't stay up too late. Your health is more important," Kael reminded her before choosing a booth for himself.

  "Understood. Thank you for your concern, Manager," Shier replied obediently.

  Kael leaned back against the leather sofa and spoke into his mind. "System, is the second map ready for the update?"

  [System: Confirmed. Host, please wait a moment.]

  [System: Map Two: Wraith Warrior Frontline, update complete. Wishing all players a pleasant gaming experience.]

  "System, your speed is a bit suspicious. You had this ready during the day, didn't you?" Kael muttered. The "update complete" notification had triggered before the echo of the word "wait" had even faded. He couldn't help but wonder if the System had intentionally delayed his rewards.

  [System: Please refrain from baseless speculation. The update was fast because the System is superior.]

  Kael blinked. Since when had the System become so narcissistic?

  "Whatever. Enter New World Mode."

  Kael shook his head, clearing his thoughts, and placed both hands on the crystal ball's base.

  Map Two: The Wraith Warrior Frontline.

  This was where the line would be drawn between rookie players and the veterans. Goblins were, after all, some of the weakest creatures imaginable—at least in Kael’s memory. But a "Wraith Warrior" sounded significantly more formidable than a common Goblin.

  Full of anticipation, Kael arrived in the game world. He materialized back in the starter village. The same old man was sitting on a doorstep, sighing deeply. This time, however, as soon as he spotted Kael, the old man’s eyes lit up.

  "Adventurer over there! Could you come here for a moment?"

  "Me?" Kael was slightly surprised as he walked over. It seemed the update had given the NPC some initiative.

  "Yes, venerable adventurer. I want to thank you for exterminating those wretched Goblins for our village," the old man said slowly.

  "Think nothing of it. It was my duty," Kael replied modestly.

  "Alas, venerable adventurer... this village is destitute. I am the only one left, and I have nothing of value to give you," the old man continued.

  The NPC was staying perfectly true to the System's stingy nature. Kael suppressed the urge to lob a fireball at the old man’s head and managed a strained reply. "It’s fine, old timer. Like I said, it was my duty."

  The old man ignored Kael’s response and continued his monologue. "However, this village is no longer a suitable place for someone of your talents."

  "Therefore, I have used the last of our village's materials to construct a teleportation array for you."

  "This array will send you to Frontier City, the nearest outpost to the front lines. It is far more prosperous than this humble village."

  Only after this long explanation did Kael realize that there was a narrative connection between the two maps. The old man was serving as the bridge.

  "The starter village really is a dry well," Kael grumbled. Following the old man’s directions, he found the teleportation array hidden inside a small brick house at the corner of the village.

  As he stepped onto the array, a notification rang out.

  [Requirement: Player Level 5 or higher. Teleportation array active. Warning: This is a one-way teleportation. Destination: Frontier City.]

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