Thud!
The sharp pain jolted Kira awake from his nap.
"Ow! Who's the brainless idiot daring to disturb my afternoon nap? I'm gonna—"
"It's me!"
Kira's sky-blue eyes snapped open, meeting the gaze of a woman with long hair the same color as his. Her fiery expression reminded him of the red-hot pepper next door, and her glare screamed, Get up, or I'll wreck your shop.
Instantly, Kira's attitude shifted, his voice softening: "…gonna thank her for waking me up to get to work."
"Oh, hey, Erza!" He bolted upright, casually wiping drool from his mouth. "Take a seat, take a seat! What can I get you?"
At that moment, Kira looked more like a tavern waiter than the owner of a magic shop.
"Oh… I heard you bought out all the strawberry cakes from that new bakery next door yesterday?" Erza said, her tone sharp.
"I'm on it! I'll grab one for you right now!"
Kira's eagerness wasn't because he feared Erza's strength—though that was part of it—but because…
"Honored VIP customer, please enjoy! If the taste isn't to your liking, I'll personally smash that bakery for you!"
Kira's shop, The Hope Shop, was Magnolia's finest magic store, stocked with all sorts of magical items, including powerful weapons and armor. Naturally, Erza—master of Requip Magic, a knight, and an S-Class wizard—was a VIP customer. And, most importantly, she had the jewels to spend.
One minute later…
Erza sat gracefully on a leather sofa, savoring the unique flavor of the new cake. "Tastes great, and the texture's just right. You were a bit slow serving it, though."
Slow? Kira thought, incredulous. Seriously?
After finishing her treat, Erza got to the point. "I'm here to pick up the armor I ordered the other day."
"Got it. One sec."
Kira nodded and headed to a small room in the back. Moments later, he returned carrying a gleaming set of armor.
The armor was pristine white, lightweight yet sturdy, with a helmet, chestplate, gauntlets, greaves, boots, and gloves that seemed to blend seamlessly together. Paired with a round shield, the set perfectly embodied Erza's unique blend of strength and elegance.
"This Diamond Armor," Kira began, launching into his pitch, "was crafted to your specifications and the designs from H-K's shop, using cutting-edge techniques and the finest materials…" He rattled off a list of exotic components—giant serpent scales, rhinoceros horn, jackal claws, crocodile teeth—making it sound like a mythical masterpiece. "Plus, I infused it with my twelve years of defensive magic expertise. The protection is top-tier!"
He'd picked up this sales spiel during a trip to the capital last month, where a famous magic shop owner swore it could dazzle any customer.
Unfortunately, his customer was Erza.
She politely let him ramble without interrupting, but not a single word sank in. All she cared about was the armor's performance. "Alright, let's test it."
"What? But I haven't finished my pitch!"
This was his masterpiece, crafted with painstaking effort! Being brushed off by his VIP customer stung. How could he not show off? It was like wearing a stunning outfit in the dark!
"Don't care," Erza said flatly.
"Fine, fine… Oh, and there's our shop's logo on it, so in the future—"
"Yeah, yeah, great," Erza cut in, clearly uninterested in logos or branding. As long as the armor was good, she wasn't short on cash. "Hurry up!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Kira carefully arranged the armor in front of a unique wall made of energy-absorbing stone.
This rare, expensive stone could neutralize most magical and physical attacks, preventing shockwaves from spreading. It was commonly used in protective structures like city walls. Another rare mineral, magic-sealing stone, was often crafted into handcuffs to block a wizard's magic, but that wasn't relevant here.
A wall of energy-absorbing stone was a hallmark of a top-tier magic shop, so despite the cost, Kira had invested in one.
He pulled a distinctive magic wand from his sleeve—about 30 centimeters long, as thick as a finger, silver with a metallic sheen, and etched with strange runes. To the untrained eye, it was just a fancy stick, but a skilled wizard could sense the powerful magic array within.
"Here we go!" Kira pressed the wand against the armor, chanting softly, "Energy Impact."
A surge of magic erupted, and a crimson magic circle flashed in the air. The power of his spoken spell channeled raw magic into a massive burst of energy, amplified by the wand into a force strong enough to demolish the entire shop. The blast shot from the wand's tip, kicking up a gust of wind that sent Erza's hair and skirt fluttering, though she stood firm.
Kira glanced at Erza. As expected of Erza—steady as a rock against that shockwave.
Erza shot him a look. Not bad, Kira. Casting high-level magic so effortlessly.
Their eyes met briefly, and both had the same thought: Gotta spar with her/him sometime!
Erza's mind raced. Kira's been slacking off, skipping missions for so long I thought his skills hadn't improved. But his Word Magic has gotten this strong?
Since the armor wasn't secured, the blast sent it crashing into the wall. Yet, there was no loud impact—the energy-absorbing stone soaked up the magic's aftershock, minimizing even the vibrations.
With that wall in place, almost no attack could damage the shop.
Kira retrieved the armor and dusted it off in front of Erza. "See? Super durable! Not a scratch!"
Erza inspected it closely. She'd felt the strength of Kira's magic firsthand before. For the armor to come through unscathed meant its defense was a cut above her previous sets. She nodded, clearly satisfied.