Chapter 2: The Glitched Shop Rush
Liana stared at the glowing interface floating in front of her.
The shop page was still open, pulsing softly like a heartbeat.
[Phoenix Hatchling – 1 SP][Floating Classroom Dome – 1 SP][Mystic Dining Hall: Self-Cooking Feature Included – 1 SP][Ten-Year Teacher Loyalty Contract (Legendary) – 1 SP][Water Spirit Garden – 1 SP][Khanda of Arcthrael, God-Splitter – 1 SP]
She scrolled further.
[Portable Dimension: Pocket Dormitories – 1 SP][Elemental Simulation Room (Max Rank) – 1 SP]
It went on and on. Each item looked like something pulled straight out of a high-end game or fantasy novel. But every single one cost just one point.
[You have 9 SP remaining.]
"I don't care if this is a bug," Liana muttered, already clicking through items like a woman possessed. "I am going to milk this bug for everything it's worth."
Thirty Minutes Later...
The ruins of Arcanmere began to shimmer, shift, and change.
Crumbled towers reconstructed themselves with radiant blue light. Ivy burned away as walls restored brick by brick. Mana-infused trees replanted themselves around a newly built central plaza. Crystal lanterns floated above winding paths. In the air, flocks of paper birds—automated messengers—fluttered about carrying information to invisible terminals.
Liana stood at the center of it all, watching as her academy slowly came back to life.
Behind her, a floating teacher recruitment station hovered, its magic scrolls glowing.
The Phoenix Hatchling she summoned napped on her shoulder, purring and occasionally coughing out harmless sparks. Its feathers shimmered in rainbow hues, and it warmed her neck like a small, divine scarf.
"System," she said, eyes gleaming. "What else can I unlock before this glitch fixes itself?"
[You may purchase the following upgrades: Magic Defense Dome, Advanced Staff Quarters, Elemental Practice Fields, Dungeon Training Basement, and Dormitory Allocation Crystals.]
[Note: System recalibration in progress. Shop prices will normalize in: 2 hours.]
Liana froze.
"…Only two hours left?"
[Affirmative.]
She cracked her fingers.
"I'm going shopping."
Two Hours Later…
Liana sat on the throne at the heart of the courtyard, exhausted but victorious. Behind her, Arcanmere Academy no longer looked like ruins. It looked like the holy site of an ancient magical empire reborn.
And she had one last point left.
She glanced at the shop and saw one final option glowing differently than the rest.
[Mystery Box (Glitched)] – 1 SP
[Warning: Contents are random. May include dangerous or forbidden items. Do you wish to proceed?]
She hesitated.
"…What's the worst that could happen?"
She tapped it.
[Congratulations! You have acquired: ???][Item: Void-Sealed Crystal. Status: Unstable. Do not tamper without containment field.]
The air trembled.
The hatchling on her shoulder chirped, suddenly uneasy.
And from deep beneath the academy grounds, something stirred. Something old. Something… watching.
Liana blinked, sensing the shift.
"…I think I just bought a plot device."
End of Chapter 2