Published at 23rd of September 2024 7:02 pm

Chapter 2249 New Shop

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After weeks of preparation, the second Merlin shop finally opened its doors to the public. The new establishment was a grand three-story building, strategically located on the bustling Centauri market street—a prime spot that required significant effort and negotiation to secure.

While Centauri City was less populated than the Golden City, it was still one of the ten largest cities in the Alpha Quadrant. Emery had chosen this location not just for its size, but for its proximity to and connection with both the Magus Academy and Utopia City. Additionally, Emery had established strong relationships with several leading factions in the city, making this a natural choice for expansion.

The grand opening was a significant event, drawing the attention of many prominent figures in the sector. Among the guests were Knight Lambert from the Proxima faction and Elowen, the female spirit master from the Alabaster faction—both of whom had fought alongside Emery during the celestial expeditions. Their presence, bearing gifts and offering support, underscored the importance of the event and highlighted the strong connections Emery had forged through his journeys.

Among the esteemed guests was Senior Heorgar, accompanied by a group of Utopia half-bloods. There was also Roran, who had just returned to the sector. As he approached Emery, he gave an irritated look, "You should've asked me to come back together. It's troublesome to find a ride back"

Emery simply chose to politely ignore the man and he turned his attention to other important guests arriving.

Among the new arrivals were Urix and several instructors from the Magus Academy. Their presence added a layer of prestige to the event, but the most significant guest was Emissary Duncan. As an influential figure within the Magus Alliance, Duncan played a crucial role in helping Emery secure his position as the temporary caretaker of Earth. The guests were warmly welcomed by Nyx, the alluring succubus who had recently left her previous occupation to become the new front manager of the shop. Her presence was more than just ornamental; with her natural charm and grace, she effortlessly made every guest feel valued and at ease, creating a welcoming atmosphere that set the tone for the event. On the other side of the shop, a group of skilled Apothecary Masters had gathered, each of them ready to cater to the needs of the shop's future clientele.

Leading this distinguished group was Winri, the talented alchemist Emery had chosen for the role. Over the past five years, Winri had made remarkable progress, mastering control over her unique burning core. This mastery allowed her to craft advanced flame-based pills and tackle other complex alchemical tasks with precision and expertise.

Emery had carefully selected Winri to manage the new Centauri City branch, trusting her expertise and growth over the past years. Karin would continue to lead the Golden City shop, ensuring that both locations were under-trusted leadership. Unfortunately, Helena, the wood elf who had been an integral part of their team, had returned to her planet indefinitely, leaving a bittersweet gap in their ranks.

As the shop began to fill with guests, both inside and out, Emery stepped forward to address the crowd with Klea and Shinta followed behind him. Emery greeted the assembled guests with a confident smile, his presence commanding attention. He acknowledged the support of those who had come to celebrate the grand opening and then, with a flourish, announced the specialty product that would be the shop's signature offering.

For this grand opening, Emery had gone above and beyond in his preparations, dedicating countless hours to crafting his renowned limited edition [360 Celestial Meridian Pills]. The process was no small feat—he meticulously worked through months of accumulated tier 7 materials, using only the finest ingredients to create a batch of 20 legendary tier 6 pills. Each pill boasted an originality level of 3, making them a rare and highly sought-after commodity among the Magus elite.

In addition to the Meridian Pills, Emery was excited to unveil a brand-new product that had been years in the making. Drawing inspiration from his celestial expeditions rewards, the [Celestial Spirit Enhancement Potions]. With extensive experimentation and refinement, driven to meet his growing need for mental fortification, especially in battles against Grand Magus-level opponents.

To create this new product, Emery even sought the expertise of two esteemed figures in the apothecary—Grandmaster Odoro and Grandmaster Hazard. These legendary figures had been instrumental in the final stages of development, spending time in Terra Palace to assist Emery before the tumultuous events surrounding the Croft incident.

The development of this new product was a significant milestone in Emery's journey as an apothecary, not just because of the product itself, but because of the advanced technique required to create it. The product needed a mastery of a high-grade apothecary technique known as the Soul Concoction. This technique demanded a deep understanding of the law of alchemy and the ability to work within the ethereal realm rather than relying solely on physical ingredients. It was a technique reserved for the creation of most legendary tier 7 and higher pills.

Emery had provided the two grandmasters with the recipes and gathered the necessary ingredients, many of which were rare and difficult to source. As the process began, Emery stood by, carefully observing every step. He watched as the two grandmasters expertly manipulated the ethereal energies, guiding them into the delicate balance needed to produce a legendary tier-7 pill.

The final product was nothing short of spectacular—a batch of 10 legendary tier-7 pills, each with an originality level of 2. The pills were housed in elegant glass vials, the liquid inside shimmering with a mesmerizing blue hue. This spectral liquid was the [Ocean Vast Celestials Serum], a creation that radiated an almost otherworldly aura.

Two legendary items, the [360 Celestial Meridian Pills] and the [Ocean Vast Celestials Serum], were prominently showcased and set to be auctioned at the prestigious Centauri City Lion Auction House. In addition to these legendary items, the shop offered a range of lower-grade but still highly sought-after products. Among them were the [180 Celestial Meridian Pills] and the [Deep Sea Celestial Serum], which provided similar benefits to the [Ocean Vast Celestials Serum] but with a temporary effect lasting between 12 to 24 hours. While these products didn't offer the same long-term benefits as the legendary items, they were still highly valued by those seeking immediate enhancement, especially during battle or exploring realms that require high mental defense.

The grand opening event drew significant attention from the various factions residing in Centauri City. Emery's shop quickly gained prominence among these groups, thanks to its exceptional offerings and the high-profile nature of the products. The buzz around the shop spread rapidly, leading to a surge of interest and foot traffic.

Within just one day of opening, Emery's Merlin shop achieved remarkable success. The sales figures soared to an impressive 500 million in revenue. Looking ahead, Emery anticipated that the auction of the legendary [360 Celestial Meridian Pills] and the [Ocean Vast Celestials Serum] would further elevate his success. Given the rarity and desirability of these items, he projected that the auction could potentially bring in an additional 500 million in revenue. Despite the grand success of the opening event and the impressive sales figures, Emery faced significant financial constraints. The material costs for producing the high-quality pills and serums were substantial, and a large portion of the revenue had to be allocated to cover the fees for the two grandmasters, who played a crucial role in creating the legendary products. Additionally, expenses related to promotion, permits, and operational costs further eroded the profit margins.

After accounting for these costs, the remaining funds were barely sufficient to cover the expenses for reopening the shop in Golden City and setting up the three new smaller branches in Zodiac City, Utopia City, and Terra City. Each new location required careful planning and resource allocation to ensure its successful launch and operation.

Emery returned to the academy, eager to shift his focus back to his training and to resume mentoring his students, particularly Shinta. He was keen to get back to his responsibilities, but before he could do that, he needed to quickly complete preparations for the reopening of his Golden City shop and the launch of new smaller branches in Zodiac City, Utopia City, and Terra City.

To expedite the process, Emery utilized the Khaos gate, a method he kept secret to avoid exposing his waypoints. He summoned Cedric and Aeon for a confidential meeting at Terra Palace to discuss the details of the matters. However, to Emery's surprise, someone else was waiting for him.

It was Roran, the Serpent Supreme, who greeted him with a hint of astonishment.

"Wow… care to explain how you managed to be here just hours after being in another quadrant?"

Emery was equally surprised to see Roran at the Terra palace and was about to ask the same question. However, before he could say anything, Roran suddenly lunged at him, launching an attack with remarkable speed.

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