The Genius Evolution Store

”What if I told you... I can make your affinity reach SS grade?”

That question sounded like thunder that was reverberating in her ears. She had heard a lot of ridiculous things that Auric could do, but this was the first time she had ever witnessed someone claiming to do something that no one had ever done for the past 120 years.

”W-What did you say?” Katarina trembled.

”You didn’t hear it wrong.” Auric smiled.

”What? How?”

”This is quite refreshing. Seeing someone as composed as you become that shocked.” Auric chuckled.

”That’s not...” Katarina had a lot of things to say, but that wasn’t what she wanted to say. ”Seriously?”

”Yeah. You’re not the first one to do it, so...” Auric shrugged.

”You mean there are a few people who did it before me?” Katarina asked, slightly surprised.

Auric nodded. ”There are two people. If you want, I can help you increase your affinity grade. If you don’t, then well, I’ll just show it to you.”

”No, no. If it works, there’s no reason for me to reject it.” Katarina shook her head. ”You really created it?”

Auric nodded. ”I got some help, but yeah, technically.”

Auric took out the book for the Artificial Heart Method for an earth element with a rating of 4.8. ”This is your book.”

He had been observing Katarina’s energy over the past month, so he was already familiar with it and adjusted the Artificial Heart Method to suit her element.

”...” Katarina received the book with shaking hands. She had a hard time calming down. ”This...”

Katarina read it carefully. It gave instructions on how to circulate the energy to the artificial absorption. It was so detailed that she believed she could do it without any help.

”For now, you’re going to start at rank 1. Then, you need to strengthen it to your current rank. However, you don’t have to fully focus on it. Just spend a few minutes to an hour of your day to continue the progress. Once it catches up, you don’t have to do that kind of thing anymore.” Auric added.

Katarina gasped. ”So, it’s real? But won’t it be too late for me, who has already reached this level?”

”No. Even if you become the strongest in the world, it’s not too late. The only problem will be the time it takes to catch up. I’m considering creating a technique to speed that process up.”

”Wait? Creating another one? No, wait...” Katarina suddenly realized something. ”You don’t happen to be the creator of the gathering techniques, do you?”

Auric raised his eyebrows. ”Why do you think that?”

”Well, you know...” She shrugged. ”I wouldn’t be able to connect the dots if I didn’t know you personally. However, your sensitivity to magical energy is just on a whole different level. In addition, you answered the question about the gathering techniques in a more profound way. As for what kind of knowledge you possess to be able to make them... I will just cover my eyes with these hands.”

She covered her eyes, gesturing to him that she wouldn’t even ask such questions. There might be other forces that had been supporting Auric the whole time. She thought this hidden force was related to his father. Hence, it was better for her not to think much about it.

Auric chuckled as he felt Katarina just had a deep misunderstanding about him.

”Anyway, I will help you here so that it will be faster. At least I’ll help you until you build the base. Then you can proceed on your own. This way, your affinity will reach SS grade.”

Katarina nodded. ”But that works even before I upgrade this ’base’ to rank 4?”

”Yeah, it still works. However, the efficiency is quite bad. As you know, the higher the rank, the more abundant and robust the energy is. The technique itself uses your heart as a foundation. Since your heart has been a foundation from the start, it will still work and won’t be broken.”

”I see. Then, doesn’t this mean this is something for the people who have just awakened?”

”Yes.”

Katarina covered her mouth in surprise. ”Gathering techniques, Artificial Heart Method... I don’t know what to say anymore. I felt like a fool when I was thinking about whether I should ask you about the gathering techniques or another expert.”

”You have a question about it?” Auric chuckled. ”You can ask now.”

”No, it doesn’t matter anymore. If there’s something I would like to ask, it will be whether there will be a gathering technique for my element.” She asked.

Auric smiled. ”Of course, there will be in the future. Right now, my sensitivity is still being overwhelmed by your intensity. Once I reach the same rank, I can create them.”

”I see. It’s no wonder you have only published rank 2 gathering techniques. So, it’s tied to your current level.” Katarina nodded in understanding. She never thought that the Sunlight, whom people admired, was standing in front of her.

Katarina looked left and right as if she were searching for something.

”What’s wrong?”

”I’m just thinking about where I should ask for your signature.” Katarina grabbed her own t-shirt and stretched it to the limit as she pushed her chest forward. ”Please sign here.”

Auric was taken aback. ”We still have time. I can do it later. Besides, Sunlight’s identity is still a secret.”

”I know. I’ll just keep it locked for the time being.” Katarina chuckled. ”Then, when you reveal your identity, I will show it to everyone as the first ever signature. I’m going to make those believers jealous.”

”W-What? Believers?” Auric was startled.

”Don’t you know?” Katarina took out her phone and showed it to him. ”You already have a fan base.”

”No, no. I know there’s a fan base. Why do you call them believers?”

Katarina simply pointed at the group created by those fans.

It was called the ’Sun Temple.’

The slogan was pretty simple. ’We praise the sun. May the sun illuminate us with its grace.’

Auric opened his mouth, but no words came out. He had never seen the fanbase directly. While it was true that he wanted to establish his presence by forming something like a cult, he was thinking about making fans who would idolize him, not an actual cult.

The last time he saw it, it was just people following his social media page, praying to get gathering techniques for their elements.

But when he scrolled down on this chat group, he saw many channels, such as Praying Channel, Elemental Expert, or even Preaching Channel.

Praying Channel was the only thing that resembled what he saw back then. The Elemental Expert was filled with some evolution masters who shared their knowledge regarding the techniques that had already been published. The Preaching Channel was the most unexpected. Each of them was singing praise to the point that he felt so embarrassed he couldn’t even read it further.

”Seriously? And why are you even in that group?”

”Why? Well, of course, I’m praying that the sun will also grace me with its presence. To think that the sun has been by my side the whole time. Now, I can proudly say I’ve served the sun!” Katarina had a smug smile on her face.

”Pfft! Hahaha!” Lindwurm couldn’t control his laughter. ”Indeed, she is currently serving the sun! What’s next? She’s going to say she’s serving the moon too.”

Lindwurm suddenly created a halo above Auric’s head. The halo was white on one side and black on the other.

Lindwurm possessed the same thing, as he even wore a ceremonial robe. ”Young child. You shall serve the sun! Show the glory of the sun to those heathens!”

Auric smacked the back of Lindwurm’s head.

Katarina was startled. ”What’s wrong?”

”I thought I saw a mosquito.” Auric shook his head.

”Oh...” Katarina paused for a few seconds before asking, ”By the way, are you going to sell the Artificial Heart Method as well?”

”I’m already selling them.” Auric showed the Moon Store.

”Already? But there are no sales yet. Are they dumb?”

”Right now, it looks like a scam. Besides, I’m not even selling them in this country.” Auric shook his head. ”So yeah, without advertisement, this is what happens. I’ll just let it grow like the Sun Store in its early phase.”

Katarina crossed her arms. ”That’s good. By making your presence known in another country, you will create a way to enter the country. For example, if this country is hunting you down for some reason, you can move to that country.”

”That’s kind of the idea.”

”I see. It’s good that you’re thinking ahead. When you shine so brightly, jealousy will inevitably follow. A lot of people are not smart, so they will do whatever it takes to bring you down. For now, it’s fine. Maybe in one more year, I need to pay attention to the movement in the darkness.”

”Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that.” Auric sighed.

”We never know. There are a lot of people who are trying to ruin my family because they want to get me. You know, they create trouble first and then rescue us, so we will be grateful to them. Unfortunately for them, we’re using information to make a living, so their ploy is obvious for us to see. You might end up experiencing something like this too.”

”I will keep that in mind.”

Katarina smiled. This trip was more than she could have hoped for. She had been wondering about the kind of secret that Auric possessed for him to be so confident that it could convince her.

The Artificial Heart Method was more than enough to show how capable he was. But it turned out he was also the creator of the gathering techniques.

Only a few knew that Auric wasn’t the creator of the gathering techniques. The true creator was his father. Lindwurm passed it to him, and Auric perfected it with his eyes.

The Artificial Heart Method, however, was truly the technique that he created by himself from the beginning.

With both the Sun Store and the Moon Store, Auric had shown how worthy he was as the person she followed.

In the future, a lot of people would want to follow Auric, but not many would be accepted, and her existence as the first follower would definitely not be small.

”Wait a minute. You are not making a mistake in establishing your stores, right?”

”I don’t think so. Haven’t you checked?”

”Pretty much. I had a hard time finding the person behind your store. I tried to track the money, but I could only trace a few of them before losing them all. Whoever set that up must be a genius.”

”It’s Ellia.”

”Ellia? Ohhh!” Katarina nodded in understanding. ”No wonder. How many people know about this already? Do I need to add precautions?”

”For now, my teacher and Ellia are the only ones who know about the Sun Store and the Moon Store. Well, Ellia’s childhood friend, Arina, and Eric already know. Arina was my first customer, while Eric recognized my writing.”

”No one else?”

”Yeah. I asked Ellia to set up paper companies to move the money from the Sun Store and the Moon Store. I set up the Sun Store personally, but my teacher has strengthened it. She has helped me set up the Moon Store as well. For now, neither the Relesha family nor the Astler family knows about my existence.”

Katarina let out a sigh of relief. ”That’s good then.”

”Anyway, I will help you with the foundation and let your affinity reach SS grade within a week. After that, you can do everything yourself.”

”Got it. I now also worship the moon!” Katarina jokingly teased Auric.

Auric’s eyebrows twitched. ”Well, after that, you need to handle those people outside. I don’t intend to join anyone, since I have more than enough resources to set up a proper base myself.”

”That is true. As long as you are careful, you should be able to set up a proper company of your own. And you still remember that?” Katarina sighed. ”I thought you’d forgotten about it.”

”It looks like we both hate that. Well, I just hate it more, so good luck to you, my dear secretary.” Auric winked playfully.

Katarina could only take a deep breath with her hands on her hips.