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In the wake of the Acting Grand Master's visit, a comfortable silence returned to the Jieyou Bookstoreābut only for a moment. Han Feng was currently busy arranging the new beverage corner. Thanks to the system upgrade, a sleek, modern refrigerator now stood against the wall, stocked with specialized drinks like "Berry-Mint Soda" and "Iced Wolfhook Juice."
"The rewards are getting better, but the shop is about to get a lot louder," Han Feng chuckled to himself. He had just placed the first volume of Naruto on the shelf when the door was practically kicked open.
"I'm here! Master Jean said there's a place with magic books!"
A small, energetic blur in red bounded into the shop. It was Klee, the Spark Knight of the Knights of Favonius, her backpack jingling with the sound of hidden treasures (and likely explosives). Behind her, a very flustered Noelle followed, trying to keep the young girl from knocking over the furniture.
"Klee, wait! We have to be polite to the shopkeeper," Noelle pleaded, her armor clanking softly. She looked toward Han Feng and bowed deeply. "I am so sorry for the intrusion, Boss. Master Jean mentioned this shop, and Klee... well, she couldn't wait."
"It's no trouble at all," Han Feng said, leaning over the counter with a friendly grin. "Welcome to the bookstore, Klee. I'm Han Feng."
Klee's eyes went wide as she took in the shop. "Wow! This place is so shiny! And it smells like cookies and tea!" She dashed over to the shelf, her little hands hovering over the books. "Which one has the most explosions?"
Han Feng laughed. "Well, One Piece has some big cannons, but if you want to see monsters and adventures, you might like this one." He pointed to Digimon Adventure. "It's about friends who have little monsters to protect them."
"Monsters? Like big, scary ones?" Klee asked, tilting her head.
"Like brave ones," Han Feng corrected.
Noelle stepped forward, looking at the price tag on the wall. "100,000 Mora... that's quite a lot. I've been saving my salary from helping around the city, but..."
"Klee has lots of treasure!" The little knight reached into her bag and pulled out several heavy pouches of Mora. "Albedo gave me this for my 'emergency fund'!"
Noelle sighed but produced her own savings. "If Master Jean trusts this place, then I would like to learn something that can help me become a true knight."
Han Feng processed the payments. "Klee, you take Digimon Adventure. Noelle, for someone who wants to protect others, I recommend One Piece. There's a character in there who uses swords to protect his dreams."
The two girls settled onto the plush sofa. Klee flipped through her book with pure, unadulterated joy, pointing at Agumon and shouting "So cool!" every few seconds. Noelle, on the other hand, read with the intensity of a student preparing for an exam. She was captivated by the story of Zoro, the swordsman who trained until his hands bled to keep a promise.
Hours passed. Han Feng watched them through his Observation Haki, noting the way Noelle's breathing hitched as she read about the struggle against Arlong.
"I'm done!" Klee suddenly announced, slamming the book shut. "That was so sad when the monsters had to leave, but then they came back! I want a friend like the orange dinosaur!"
[Customer Klee has finished reading Digimon Adventure - Vol 1. Generating reward...]
[Reward: Digivice (Orange) and a Digi-Egg of Courage.]
A bright light flashed in Klee's hands. When it cleared, she was holding a small, high-tech handheld device and a large, warm egg covered in orange flame patterns.
"A big egg!" Klee hugged it tightly. "Is there a Dodoco inside?"
"That's a Digi-Egg," Han Feng explained, coming around the counter. "If you take care of it and show great courage, it will hatch into your very own partner. It'll grow with you."
Klee's eyes sparkled. "I'll be the best egg-mommy ever! I'll name him... Fire-Fire!"
Before Han Feng could warn her about naming conventions, Noelle let out a long, shaky breath and closed her book. Her face was set in a look of grim determination. "To be a knight... it isn't just about strength. It's about the will to never back down, even when your bones are breaking."
[Customer Noelle has finished reading One Piece - East Blue Saga. Generating reward...]
[Reward: Marine Six Powers - 'Tekkai' (Iron Body).]
A metallic shimmer ran across Noelle's skin for a split second. She felt her muscles become as dense and hard as refined star-silver.
"This... this is 'Tekkai,'" Han Feng said. "It turns your body into iron. With your existing strength and your Geo Vision, your defense is now practically impenetrable."
Noelle stood up and tapped her forearm. It made a solid clink sound, just like her armor. "This is exactly what I needed. Now I can stand in front of everyone and truly be their shield."
"Thank you, Boss!" Klee shouted, already heading for the door with her egg. "I'm going to go show Albedo my new brother!"
"Wait, Klee! Don't run with the egg!" Noelle called out, giving Han Feng a final, grateful bow before chasing after the red blur.
As they left, Han Feng looked at his system. 7/7 unique customers. Another notification popped up:
[Ding! Milestone reached. Reward: New Comic Draw - Dragon Ball (Early Years). Shop Feature Unlocked: 'Reading Room Gravity Control'.]
Han Feng leaned back, a smirk on his face. "Gravity training and Goku's adventures... This city is going to become the strongest place in Teyvat before the month is over."