Beneficial Exchange

Under Art's watch, the shop owner loosened the fabric covering the box, exposing its design. The moment it was revealed, an ominous wave of mana surged outward.

"You might need to protect yourself with mana. It's dangerous," the man warned, raising his gaze to Art.

Art wasn’t a newbie in dealings like this. In his former life, he had been exposed to similar situations since childhood. He had learned how to read people—their intentions, their unspoken words.

The shop owner was conducting one final test to see if Art was truly worthy of the mask.

If Art followed his advice and shielded himself with mana, it would signal that he wasn’t strong enough to naturally endure its aura. That would shatter the illusion of overwhelming strength he had carefully crafted.

Someone at A or S-rank wouldn’t even flinch at something of this level, no matter how impressive it was.