[H.B] Ch 4: The Casual Magic Editions

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Rin could hardly believe her ears.

What did that newbie just say?

Just because he had some vague, maybe-real, maybe-not "insight" while using magic, he wanted to toss it up on the group store and sell it for points?

Who would buy that kind of nonsense? Did he think this chat group was some kind of joke?

Even Kanae was briefly at a loss for words. It took her over ten seconds before she finally spoke.

『Kanae Kocho』: "If you want to consign an item, you just need to think it, and the chat group will automatically extract the relevant knowledge."

She first answered Renji's question, then added a much more tactful follow-up.

『Kanae Kocho』: "But, uh… there are requirements if you want something recognized as a product. If the insight doesn't have much value, it might technically be listed, but it probably won't sell."

Not to mention, the group store likely wouldn't even bother recording it as a real item in the first place.

And honestly, it wasn't unreasonable for Kanae and Rin to think this way. If this newcomer had been some Master from a magic world, then maybe their insights would be useful.

But Renji? He was just a normal guy from a normal world, touching magic for the very first time. What value could some complete beginner's "insight" possibly have?

Most of the group thought the same thing: the newbie was a little too confident. But no one said it outright.

"If he tries to sell it and the system rejects it… talk about embarrassing!" Rin felt a second-hand wave of shame for him.

Just as she was wondering how to steer the conversation away from this awkward mess, Renji's message popped up.

One line. And it was enough to stun everyone across worlds into silence.

『Renji Amatsuki』: "Kanae, thanks! It worked!"

『Renji Amatsuki』: "The chat group already set a price. If anyone needs it, feel free to buy!"

The women in different worlds were speechless and shocked.

Rin's eyes went wide. "…What the hell?"

"No way…" Kanae's face twisted in confusion.

Erica looked even more incredulous. "Magic insights? Being sold? That's impossible!"

She had tested the group's product recognition before. The system wasn't something you could fool with cheap tricks.

If Renji's so-called "insight" didn't actually help improve Magic, there was no way it would've been listed.

『Madoka Kaname』: "Big brother is amazing!"

Only the innocent little Madoka accepted it right away.

Since she was fascinated by magic—and had been training with the Magic method Erica provided—she was the first to open the store. The first to search. The first to find Renji's new listing.

And what she saw floored her.

『Madoka Kaname』: "Big brother put three items up for sale at once?!"

『Madoka Kaname』: "But didn't you just say it was only a little insight?"

Her words left the others stunned again.

A beginner, just starting magic, having insights good enough to be recognized as a product was already absurd.

But three separate products? What the hell was going on?

Everyone rushed to check the store.

When they saw the names of the items, Erica—who was most familiar with her own [Hermetic Magic · Basic Edition]—froze on the spot.

[Hermetic Magic · Master Edition]

[Hermetic Magic · Speedrun Edition]

[Magic Source · Transcendent Edition]

All automatically named by the group system. Which meant no false advertising.

"…Just from looking at the method I gave him, he created a stronger version of Hermetic Magic?"

Erica knew better than anyone: as a genius and the daughter of a distinguished magic family, the Hermetic method she used was the one her society had passed down for generations.

Even her uncle—Paolo, a holy knight—used the exact same method. It had never changed.

And yet… something even Diavolo Rosso Paolo couldn't improve on, this ordinary guy from an ordinary world managed to surpass in an instant?

Erica snapped out of her daze and immediately clicked purchase. She needed to see for herself.

Then she saw the Master Edition price.

"…Nine hundred and ninety-nine points?!"

Her own version had only been a hundred!

How could Renji's "insight" be ten times more expensive than the original?

Still, she had points to spare. Grinding her teeth, she bought it.

She had to know if it was worth it.

The others, noticing the insane price tag, were equally stunned.

『Rin Tohsaka』: "It's the same Hermetic Magic, so why's it so expensive?"

『Kanae Kocho』: "Prices are automatically set by the system. Meaning… it thinks this really is worth that much."

『Madoka Kaname』: "Even if that's true, it's sooo expensive!"

『Madoka Kaname』: "I've been saving up from sign-ins for ages and I still don't have enough!"

Most of them hesitated, unwilling to spend so many points.

But before Rin could even tag Erica to ask her opinion, Erica's messages exploded across the chat like a spam bot.

『Erica Blandelli』: "Not expensive! Not expensive at all! It's dirt cheap!"

『Erica Blandelli』: "As expected of the name: Master Edition! Not only is efficiency several times higher, but my magic response, conversion, even total storage capacity have all skyrocketed!"

『Erica Blandelli』: "With this, I could easily fight two or three versions of my old self! Even Liliana wouldn't stand a chance against me now!"

『Erica Blandelli』: "Compared to this, my old method looks like trash!"

『Erica Blandelli』: "Honestly, if the Basic Edition I provided wasn't so simple, the Master Edition would've probably been ranked as a higher-tier item—and priced even higher!"

『Erica Blandelli』: "Renji-sama! Your improved Hermetic Magic is incredible! Thank you for your contribution!"

She was practically showering him with praise.

The flood of messages left Rin and the others dumbfounded.

They all knew Erica. For all her cunning, she was proud to the core. Even in front of gods, she always had that fiery urge to challenge them.

None of them expected to see her this excited, this deferential, this flattering.

Could Renji's "insight" really be that terrifyingly good?

As the group silently reclassified him from "newbie" to "professional," Erica kept going, eager to cozy up to her new "Sama."

『Erica Blandelli』: "Renji-Sama, the Speedrun Edition is also listed at 999 points. That one's just as good as the Master Edition, right?"

Renji only shook his head.

『Renji Amatsuki』: "I don't recommend you buy the Speedrun Edition."

『Erica Blandelli』: "Huh? Why not?"

She blinked, confused. Normally, sellers wanted more buyers, not fewer. Why would Renji discourage her?

Was this the whole "secrets can't be spread carelessly" kind of thing?

『Renji Amatsuki』: "The Speedrun Edition is for beginners. It accelerates mana speed so they can hit their current magic cap quickly."

Normally, reaching one's natural magic limit could take years—sometimes decades.

The Speedrun Edition compressed that down to days, even hours, depending on mastery.

For Renji himself, as the one who created it, the time was even shorter.

『Renji Amatsuki』: "I only made it because I thought producing magic was too slow, so I whipped this up casually."

『Renji Amatsuki』: "For someone like you, who's already reached your current limit, it's useless."

The chat went silent again.

Only after several seconds did Erica reply.

『Erica Blandelli』: "Thank you for the warning, Renji-Sama. I almost wasted points. But… a skill that can compress years into days, and you made it just because you were bored?"

『Erica Blandelli』: "I can't wrap my head around it… but I'm in awe."

『Erica Blandelli』: "Maybe this is the mindset of the truly strong."

『Rin Tohsaka』: "Maybe this is the mindset of the truly strong."

『Kanae Kocho』: "Maybe this is the mindset of the truly strong.

『Madoka Kaname』: "Maybe this is the mindset of the truly strong."

One after another, they all echoed the same words.

Rin and the others had no idea how else to express what they were feeling, and so the whole group devolved into nothing but a chorus of copy-paste awe.

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