Chapter 2 – Valley of Seven Small Volcanoes

After a few days of rest, Leo Ashford had recovered enough strength to move.

He found the old mage, who was tending to herbs outside the cottage, and bowed deeply.

"Thank you, master, for saving my life," Leo said with sincerity.

The old mage waved his hand, a warm smile on his wrinkled face.

"Live well, young man.

The heavens gave you another chance, so make good use of it."   Leo nodded, taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air, before stepping onto the dirt path that led toward the nearby city.

As Leo walked down the sloping forest path, the view gradually opened up, revealing Clearwing City, the second-largest city on the eastern side of the continent after the capital.

The city was surrounded by tall, sturdy stone walls engraved with protective runes, and knights in gleaming armor and mage guards could be seen patrolling the entrances.

Passing through the gates, Leo's eyes widened at the lively streets filled with practitioners, merchants, and common people moving in a constant flow of energy.

Stone-paved roads stretched in neat grids, lined with shops selling magical herbs, enchanted scrolls, and shining mana crystals of fire, ice, and wind attributes.

These crystals were being sold not only to mages but also to ordinary people who could not wield magic, who used them to light stoves, cool their homes in summer, or draw water.

The stones used by ordinary people were of impure grade, while practitioners used low grade and mid grade stones.

Tall towers with banners reading "Royal Academy of Magic - Clearwing Branch" and "Clearwing Adventurers Guild" stood proudly among the buildings, while large inns catered to travelers from distant lands.

Here and there, beast tamers led magical creatures with fiery manes or icy fur, while Blacksmiths could be seen forging weapons in smithies, embedding mana crystals into blades under the watchful eyes of apprentices.

The Royal Family held true authority in this land, but the Clearwing Magic Academy was also on par with it, having many powerful mages, controlling many trade routes for magical tools, beast taming contracts, and the distribution of high-level mana crystals.

Leo passed by a stall selling enchanted scrolls, noting their subtle magical energy.

Further down, a blacksmith's shop displayed glowing swords and sturdy shields, each engraved with runes that hummed softly with elemental power.

The clanging of hammers on metal mixed with the cries of hawkers selling low-level mana potions and healing salves.

Near the city's central square stood the Clearwing Auction House, where rare magical tools and beast contracts were auctioned to the highest bidders, drawing mages and merchants alike in hopes of fortune and power.

After observing the bustling activity outside the auction house, Leo made his way toward the Clearwing Commercial Office, the administrative center for renting and purchasing shops within the City.

The building was crafted from smooth grey stone, its walls carved with faintly glowing runes that pulsed with magical energy, deterring troublemakers and suppressing minor disputes within its walls.

Inside the office a middle-aged man in blue robes approached Leo with a professional yet warm smile.

"Esteemed guest, how can I help you?" the man asked respectfully.

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Leo nodded.

"I am looking for a place where I can run my shop and live."   "Sure, please come this way," the man said.

The man led Leo to a room lined with floating crystal tablets and magical displays showing various shop properties across the city, each pulsing with gentle light and annotated with details such as location, size, and protective ward formations.

"There are two properties which suit your needs, if you don't find them to your liking we can also see other ones.

This one is in the Redwood District, near a main road—high traffic, but it will cost more," the man explained, swiping his hand to shift the display.

Another tablet floated forward, showing a shop in a quieter lane, with a large courtyard and a modest storefront.

"This property is near the Emerald Market, a good area for trade but without the crushing costs of the central avenues," he continued.

"It includes a courtyard for alchemy or enchanting, and living quarters at the back."   Leo examined it closely.

The shop's layout was simple but practical, with a front hall suitable for displaying mana crystals and magical tools, while the courtyard could be used for brewing potions or sorting merchandise quietly.

The living quarters were modest but sufficient for a single person’s solitary lifestyle.

The price, however, would drain more than half of Leo's remaining savings—savings he had built up before his lightning tribulation, during his years of travel.

Leo closed his eyes, breathing in and out, before giving a small nod.

"I'll take this one."   The paperwork was completed, magical ink binding his ownership with the city's registry.

As the crystal seal stamped the final agreement, a familiar chime echoed in Leo's mind.

【Ding!】 《System Notification》 Mission Completed: Open Your First Shop Reward: +1000 Points New Mission: Begin Selling Mana Crystals in your shop Reward: 500 Points   Leo stepped out of the office and made his way toward his newly purchased shop.

The streets bustled with mages buying enchanted scrolls, commoners haggling over food, and beast tamers leading magical creatures on mana-infused chains through the avenues.

Upon reaching the shop, he pushed open the sturdy wooden doors, letting in the warm sunlight and the scent of nearby incense stalls.

The front hall was empty, dusty, and quiet, but Leo could already see the rows of mana crystals lined up on shelves, the enchanted scrolls hanging in wooden racks, and the flow of customers in his mind.

He closed the door behind him, sealing himself inside.

At that moment, he opened the system's Realm Travel panel.

Numerous options appeared before him in glowing script:   Outer Realms: Flame Rabbit Plains Frost Crystal Cavern Valley of Seven Small Volcanoes…   Leo's gaze settled on the Valley of Seven Small Volcanoes.

Within those volcanoes lay the richest deposits of fire mana crystals, essential for crafting enchanted scrolls and forging elemental weapons.

Before Leo entered the Valley of Seven Small Volcanoes, he stood quietly in the empty courtyard of his shop, mentally preparing for the oppressive heat and dangers he would face.

Opening his System Store, he browsed through the sections of items available for purchase, eyes narrowing on the Enchanted Scroll Store tab.

He scrolled past various low-level attack scrolls, defensive scrolls, and utility scrolls, each with their prices listed in system points.

Leo's gaze settled on three essential types:   Healing Scroll (Tier 3): A golden scroll etched with a five-ring formation, capable of slowly recovering injuries and heat exhaustion, with each ring representing one full use.

Protection Scroll (Tier 3): A defensive scroll that could block up to ten attacks from level 2-3 magical beasts, forming a shimmering golden barrier upon activation.

Blade Scroll (Tier 3): An offensive scroll that could summon a magical sword imbued with elemental attributes, capable of tracking targets within a small range for precise strikes.

"[Ding!

Do you wish to purchase 5x Healing Scrolls, 5x Protection Scrolls, and 10x Blade Scrolls?

Total cost: 200 points.]"   Leo hesitated for a breath, calculating his remaining points.

It would cost him a chunk of his earnings, but it was a necessary investment if he wanted to collect fire mana crystals safely in the volcanic region.

"Confirm," he whispered.

The system light flickered, and the scrolls appeared neatly stacked in his system space, each one emanating a faint magical glow and a subtle fragrance of arcane ink and parchment.

"Time to start," Leo whispered, pressing the Enter button on the realm travel interface as his body was enveloped in the system's teleportation light.