Merchant of The Universe

A knock.

Soft. Deliberate. Too patient to belong to an ordinary person.

Ethan's breath hitched. His gaze flicked to the open door, where something—or someone—stood just outside.

The figure was cloaked, their face hidden beneath the shadow of a deep hood. They weren't tall, barely reaching Ethan's chin, but there was something off about them. The way the dim shop lights didn't quite touch them, the way their presence felt like a ripple in reality.

Slowly, they stepped forward.

The moment they crossed the threshold, Ethan felt a shift in the air, like the shop itself had acknowledged their arrival. The door clicked shut behind them.

[New Customer Detected.]

The system's message flickered in Ethan's vision.

Now that the figure was closer, Ethan could make out more details. Their robes were dark, deep blue with silver embroidery forming unfamiliar symbols along the edges. The fabric itself shimmered faintly, like it was woven from starlight.

And then, they spoke.

"I seek a trade."

The voice was layered—one deep and resonant, the other soft and whispery, as if two voices were speaking at once. It was hard to pin down a gender, but something about the tone, the slight tilt of the head, suggested feminine.

Before Ethan could respond, she reached into the folds of her robe, producing a small pouch. It landed on the wooden counter with a soft clink, spilling a few golden coins.

Ethan's mind stuttered. Gold?

"I need something to stabilize a shifting soul," she continued, her fingers resting lightly on the coins. "Do you have what I seek?"

Ethan swallowed. His heart pounded, but his hands moved on their own, drawn forward by some unseen force.

The moment he focused on her request, the shelves reacted. A faint hum filled the air, and a single item slid forward—a small, ornate bottle no bigger than Ethan's palm, filled with a swirling silver liquid.

The system's words formed in his vision.

[Item: Moonshade Elixir]

[A rare alchemical solution, capable of stabilizing shifting souls.]

[Price: 10 Astral Coins or equivalent trade.]

Ethan's eyes darted to the gold coins on the counter. Astral Coins? What the hell were those? Did this shop have its own currency?

The woman tilted her head slightly, then reached into her robe again. This time, she placed something else on the counter—a single, silver-white coin that shimmered like starlight. The moment it touched the wood, the system responded.

[Equivalent trade accepted.]

The bottle lifted gently off the shelf, drifting toward the customer. She caught it in one smooth motion and nodded once.

"A fair exchange," she murmured.

Then, she turned toward the door.

It opened on its own, revealing a world Ethan couldn't understand—a sky filled with floating islands, illuminated by three moons. The air beyond the door shimmered with faint energy, like looking through the surface of a pond.

She stepped through, and the door swung shut behind her.

For a long moment, Ethan just stood there, staring.

What the hell just happened?

His gaze dropped to the silver-white coin still resting on the counter. His first payment. His first sale.

The system's voice whispered in his mind.

[Transaction complete.]

[Welcome to the Multiversal Marketplace.]