"I might not be able to match the Boss in raw power, but I refuse to believe my combat techniques are inferior to his," Tiger Hunt declared.

  "Exactly! We simply don't believe anyone can actually clear these challenges. We shouldn't be the only ones suffering here," the members of the Blood Wolf Squad chimed in.

  "Sister Shier, could you please call Kael over for us?" Nalan Qinqi asked, her large, watery eyes looking pleadingly at Shier. As the shop’s new employee, it was only natural for Shier to be the one to summon the Manager.

  Meanwhile, back in the general store, Kael was engaged in a half-hearted conversation with Qin Ming. It was mostly Qin Ming talking while Kael offered the occasional, distracted grunt.

  "Shier? Why are you back here?" Kael asked, spotting her emerging from the small connecting door.

  "Um... Manager, the customers are asking for you. They say they have something important to discuss," Shier said hesitantly.

  "Looking for me? Fine. I'll head over. City Lord Qin, if you'll excuse me for a moment," Kael nodded, cutting off Qin Ming’s rambling.

  "Please, go ahead. Don't let me keep you," Qin Ming said politely. Kael didn't stand on ceremony; since the City Lord wasn't there to buy anything, leaving him in the front shop wasn't an issue.

  Shier remained behind. While she was curious about Kael’s strength, she knew her current priority was her duties as a clerk.

  "Boss, you're finally here!" Tiger Hunt called out the moment Kael stepped into the training room.

  "You called for me?" Kael looked at him flatly.

  "Actually, it was a group decision," Blood Wolf interjected, having just suffered another crushing defeat in his crystal sphere.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Oh, it’s you again, you little noob," Kael quipped, glancing at the sphere and mocking him without mercy.

  If there was something they couldn't discuss in the front shop and insisted on bringing up here, it was bound to be about the Arena. And on that front, Kael’s training hadn't been in vain. One of the perks of being the Host was that he could push himself further than any customer. Recently, he had begun suppressing his attributes even further, fighting with stats lower than his opponents to hone his technical mastery. Levels had caps, and advancements had bottlenecks, but the refinement of combat technique was infinite.

  Blood Wolf didn't even flinch at being called a noob. He just sighed and said, "Boss, I know I’m not in your league, but everyone here wants to see your skills for themselves. We decided to invite you over to give us a little... tutorial."

  By including everyone in his request, Blood Wolf effectively categorized the entire room as "noobs" alongside himself. If everyone was a noob, Blood Wolf wasn't lonely.

  "What? Instead of practicing properly yourselves, you want me to give you a lesson?" Kael raised an eyebrow, his eyes half-lidded as he spoke in a peculiar, mocking tone.

  "We just want to witness it. If Blood Wolf is just blowing smoke, then no harm done," Tiger Hunt laughed. Seeing Kael’s reluctant expression, he felt more confident. If I had that kind of skill, I’d be dying to show it off, he thought. Combat techniques weren't like hidden trump cards; even if an enemy saw them, there was little they could do unless their own skills were superior.

  After the crowd whispered among themselves for a moment, they pushed Tiger Hunt forward as their representative.

  "Boss, why don't you show us how to handle the Spearman?"

  For these mercenaries, encountering a cunning Swordsman was rare. Battles against Archmages or Guardian Knights were equally infrequent. However, the Spearman represented the "straightforward and brutal" type of combatant they met most often—especially when dealing with high-level magical beasts that relied on raw, frontal momentum.

  "Fine. Spearman it is," Kael nodded. He scanned the room, then summoned a long blade into his hand.

  On the virtual stage within the crystal sphere, a young man wielding a long spear leaped up, landing with clinical precision.

  [BATTLE START!]

  Four golden words flashed across the sphere. The Spearman moved instantly, his offensive rolling in like a tide. His spear shadows became a literal storm, closing in on Kael with terrifying speed.

  "Watch closely," Kael began his lecture as he started to back away. "The Spearman’s defining trait is his relentless, tide-like momentum. He moves forward with a 'do or die' attitude, suppressing the opponent from the front with overwhelming pressure. However, this creates a fatal flaw: he has no concept of retreat."

  Kael retreated further, his movements fluid. "Under this storm-like pressure, most people miss that flaw because they're too busy defending. In their world, 'offense is the best defense.' Therefore, the first thing you must do is break out of the Spearman’s optimal engagement range."

  As he spoke, Kael’s virtual phantom blurred. With a series of precise sways, he vanished from his original position and reappeared at the opposite corner of the stage.

  "Falling into a Spearman's rhythm is the greatest taboo in combat. You need to practice a 'retreat to advance' style of fighting."

  Kael thrust his long blade forward, striking at the Spearman’s flank while continuing to educate the crowd. Though the Spearman moved only forward, it didn't mean he was a mindless drone.