Isaac slowed the jeep a bit and took the papers with one hand. He scanned through the points quickly.
Effects of Tier 2 Vitality Grains are similar to effects of Tier 1 Grains but highly strengthened:
> Restores 2 Mana per minute for 72 hours → Restores 4 Mana per minute for 72 hours
> Detoxifies lowest-tier poisons → Detoxifies Mortal rank poisons
> Compatible with potion use (no conflict in effects) → Can stack the effects of grain (Max stack: 3)
> Restores fatigue equivalent to deep rest → Same
> Satiates hunger for 72 hours → Same
Isaac blinked. He read it again, and again to confirm he was not dreaming.
Three effects had improved, and they made the grains a treasure.
“Is this real?” he muttered, “Each grains gives mana and it’s stackable up to three times?”
Consuming one Tier 2 grain would give 12 Mana per minute for seventy-two hours. Its was an absurd number.
Only high-end mystic rank potions might give this level of mana regeneration but they were extremely rare, and only the wealthiest awakeners had them.
And here he was, holding results that proved the thousands of Tier 2 Grains he had were just as precious as those ’rare’ potions.
Isaac still couldn’t believe the fully stacked grain effects would give twelve mana per minute. Only someone with 120 Spirit Power stat could have that naturally.
That much amount of Spirit Power was far from common. It was something a human mage might reach at Champion rank, or at Master rank if they were exceptionally lucky with class progression.
Now anyone could reach that number with just three grains.
A low chuckle escaped him. Mages would kiss his feet for these grains if he asked them to.
He flipped to the next set of documents. These ones outlined the effects of the life energy potions.
Effects of one drop dosage as as followed:
> Champion Rank Awakener: 5–10% EXP gain
> Master Rank Awakener: 50–100% EXP gain (100% = One level-up)
> Elite Rank Awakener: 500–1000% EXP gain (5–10 levels)
> Adept Rank Awakener: All Adept rank users reach level 20 (Need to complete Class Advancement Quest to continue rank up)
> Initiate Rank Awakener: All Initiate rank users reach level 10 (Need to complete Class Advancement Quest to continue rank up)
Isaac was stunned.
“This has to be a dream.”
“It’s real.” Professor Catherine chuckled, enjoying his reaction.
She turned a page in her own stack and continued,
“Keep in mind, higher ranks species need exponentially more EXP than others, so the EXP gain would be different for them. These effects are for humans only. But even so, it’s powerful.”
Isaac took a deep breath. “And that’s just one drop.”
“Yes, just one,” she said. “If a high rank species uses multiple droplets, even their Champions or Masters rank awakeners will level up.”
He looked down at the paper again, then back at the road.
His mind raced. With the Tier 2 grains and these potions, he had in his hands the kind of products that could flip the economy.
Or start wars.
He couldn’t afford to mess this up.
’I’ll talk to Alice.’
’I’ll tell her about these effects, then ask her how much to sell, and how to handle the part I keep for myself.’
Since Alice had grown in a business household, her advice would be crucial.
Professor Catherine looked at him with a smile. “Good. You’re staying calm.”
Isaac nodded.
They reached the house soon after. Isaac parked the jeep and stepped out. The morning air had grown a little warmer. Birds chirped nearby. But something felt a little off.
The house was too quiet.
“Where are Alice and Emily?” he asked, glancing around.
Professor Catherine pushed open the front door. “Go to the kitchen.”
He followed her words.
Inside, a warm aroma of cooked food hung in the air. On the table sat two plates, neatly arranged. A folded note sat beside them.
Isaac picked it up and read.
> We’re leaving early. Alice needs to level up quickly to prepare for the big monster hunt that is scheduled to happen in two days, and I want to finish my quest to kill 100 monsters.
> I’m already at 38 by the way, so I should finish it today ^^
> –Emily
He smiled, reading Emily’s message.
But when he looked at the food, the smile faded.
“…They were worried I’d cook for myself again,” he muttered.
He clenched his teeth.
He vowed to himself that he would prove them wrong. Not just wrong, he’d cook better than them. It was time he started learning it seriously, and showed them who was the boss.
He sat down at the table, and Professor Catherine joined him. They talked a bit while they ate.
Halfway through breakfast, a soft ping echoed from the wristband on Isaac’s arm.
He tapped the call icon, and Selene’s hologram popped up.
She wore a simple white one-piece dress that contrasted beautifully with her silver-white hair and sharp red eyes.
“When are you coming?” she asked. “The shop’s opening is in a few hours, and guests will start arriving soon.”
“I’ll be there,” Isaac replied. “Give me an hour.”
Selene gave him a once-over, ended the call without another word.
Isaac stood, washed his plate, and headed to his room.
Today was a holiday for him and he was allowed to go to the shop opening, since Chainman Lucius was giving him an ’internship.’ It was just an open excuse to let him skip classes without breaking rules.
Chuckling at the thought, he changed into something presentable for the occasion. Dark trousers, a light grey shirt, and a black vest. It was nothing too flashy, but polished enough for the occasion.
When he came out, Professor Catherine was sprawled on the living room sofa.
She had changed too, and was now in her usual outfit. Crisp white shirt, black slacks, a loosened tie hanging at her collar. Her coat was folded across her lap.
A cigar rested between her fingers, smoke curling toward the ceiling.
She glanced at him. “Come back quickly if you can. The briefing for the monster hunt would be tonight. You need to be there.”
Isaac raised a brow. “Aren’t you coming with me to the shop opening?”
She took a slow drag from the cigar, then waved her hand. “Plenty of important people will be there. Most of them don’t like seeing me around. I’ll be watching, but I won’t show myself unless it’s necessary.”
Isaac frowned. “What did you do to make everyone hate you?”
Professor Catherine grinned. “I told them Isaac is mine, but it angered them since they wanted you for themselves.”
Isaac rolled his eyes.
She leaned back into the couch, stretching her arms. Then, she said seriously, “The Governor would be coming too. Be careful around him.”
Isaac nodded.
Since he was a growing power, the Governor would be already wary of him, not to mention that once the news of him being a Lord spreads, the Governor might just become an enemy.
“Don’t worry about your security. I will be around. I just won’t be showing myself unless it’s something absolutely necessary,” Professor Catherine said. “Hmm, don’t worry about missing the briefing either. I’ll arrange a beautiful taxi for you.”
“…What does that mean?”
“You’ll see,” she said with a mischievous glint in her eye.
Isaac gave up trying to understand and grabbed the jeep keys.
He drove straight to the stronghold’s central base. As he approached the gates, he noticed the increased military presence. It wasn’t unusual, but the security here felt a little tighter than usual.
He stopped at the checkpoint. Two soldiers in matte-black armor approached, one of them holding a scanning device.
“ID,” the soldier said.
Isaac handed it over without a word. The man scanned it, waited for confirmation, and then nodded.
“You’re clear. Proceed to Teleportation Gate for D2-4.”
Isaac offered a brief nod in return and drove through. Inside the base, the teleportation section was humming with energy. A few awakeners and operatives moved through the wide chamber, most of them focused on their own tasks.
He made his way to teleporter assigned to him.
The teleportation cloud was a swirl of deep blue energy. It swallowed him as usual. After walking in the blue mist for a few seconds, he emerged on the other side in Sector 4.
The chamber here was larger and more polished.
The light-blue crystal panels embedded in the walls gave the place a colder, almost corporate feel. Everything looked modern and efficient, a stark contrast to the unpolished look of stronghold’s teleportation chamber.
He stepped off the teleportation platform and walked toward the exit.
Outside, a car was parked right in front of the building.
A woman stood beside it, arms crossed, watching him with a cool expression. She had dark brown hair tied in a neat ponytail, a dark-blue formal coat over a fitted dress, and a small earpiece in her right ear.
“Isaac,” she said as he approached. “I’m Marien, Selene’s assistant. She sent me to pick you up.”
Isaac paused for a second, then gave her a bright, polite smile. “Nice to meet you.”
He reached out to shake her hand. She hesitated a moment before accepting it.
He recalled her being the person he had punched along with Selene.
It explained the way she was looking at him. Her expression was neutral, but the disdain in her eyes was hard to miss. She was being professional, yes. But not exactly warm.
They both got into the car. Marien slid into the driver’s seat, started the engine, and began driving.
A few moments into the ride, she passed a folder over her shoulder.
“These are the key guests attending today’s shop opening,” she said. “Their names, basic affiliations, and some notes on what to be careful about when talking to them.”
Isaac took the folder and nodded. “Thanks.”
He held it then looked back at Marien. “Isn’t all this a bit over the top? When I opened my shop in the stronghold, it was just a few people with us and that’s it, not even a ribbon.”
Marien glanced at him through the rearview mirror. She scoffed quietly, then shook her head as if he’d just said something painfully naive.
“You really don’t understand how things work here, do you?”
Isaac raised an eyebrow. “Enlighten me.”
“Sector 4 isn’t just a market. It’s the backbone of the city’s economy. Everything here caters to awakeners, from potions and weapons to monster research labs and Class advancement institutes.
“The taxes and profits from here alone make up over half the city’s revenue. Even the Governor’s office keeps a close eye on every major transaction.”
She turned the wheel and took a left, the car gliding through a checkpoint without pause.
“Opening a shop here isn’t just about selling things. It’s about entering a high-stakes game. That’s why the people coming today matter. They’re not just customers. They’re investors, guild leaders, officials, and major players in the awakened world.”
Isaac listened carefully.
Her explanation made sense. The environment was different, and the stakes higher, so was the competition.
It wasn’t about foot traffic or daily earnings here, it was about connections and influence.
He finally opened the folder in his lap and scanned through the first few names.
There were images, brief descriptions, and bullet points under each profile.
He recognized some of them.
They were the celebrities whose names occasionally appeared in city-wide news updates or council announcements. Guild leaders, vice-commanders of city’s defense force, directors of research divisions, and even one or two Champion rank awakeners, which was exceptional.
After all, while Isaac had met quite a few Champion rank awakeners due to his position, they were actually supposed to few and far between, and extremely difficult to meet.
While he was going through the list, the seventh name made him pause.
“…This person’s coming too?” he said aloud.
Marien didn’t even glance back. “Yes.”
Isaac leaned forward slightly, reading the profile again.