The tavern's warm glow flickered across Juno's face as he sat quietly in a shadowy corner, sipping a drink that radiated mild heat. The air was heavy with the scent of salt, smoke, and lava-soaked earth. Around him, laughter mixed with the clatter of mugs and the shuffling of cards. Voices carried through the crowd, low and bitter.
"That poor bastard, Jace. His whole shipment's just rotting now."
"Ship caught fire, didn't it?"
"Yeah. Burned to ash last week. No backup, no transport left. The fleet's already sailed. Pirates out there made sure no one goes alone."
Juno's crimson eyes shifted toward the corner table where a man sat hunched over a glass. His dark hair was messy, his coat frayed, and his eyes lost in the amber liquid swirling in his cup.
Juno stood, approached the table, and placed his own glass down. "Mind if I join you?"
The man glanced up, startled, then shrugged. "Free world."
Juno sat. "Heard your name's Jace."
"Depends who's asking," Jace replied, his voice raspy with exhaustion.
"Not a bounty hunter, if that's what you're thinking. Just someone who overheard your story."
Jace gave him a long look, then chuckled darkly. "Not much of a story. The ship caught fire—lightning, sabotage, who knows? Lost everything. The fruit won't last another week. Exotic stuff from the highlands. Delicate. It's all sitting in a warehouse now, waiting to rot."
"Why not ship it out?"
"The village fleet's gone. They organize mass transport to avoid pirates and fees. Safety in numbers. I couldn't afford to join this time—and now it's too late."
Juno nodded slowly. "You're stuck."
"Dead in the water," Jace muttered. "No coin, no options."
"Have you ever heard of SeaTrade?"
Jace raised an eyebrow. "That scam? Government says it's a pirate ploy. Bait and switch."
"You believe that?"
"I believe what I see. And I haven't seen anyone from this village profit from it."
Juno smiled faintly. "Maybe you just need a demonstration."
Jace leaned back, arms crossed. "And why would you help me?"
"Because I don't like to see potential rot away—fruit or people."
Jace hesitated, then sighed. "Fine. What's the catch?"
"No catch," Juno said, rising. "Just follow me."
The night outside was thick with humidity, and the volcano's glow cast long shadows along the cobbled streets. The two men walked silently past sleeping homes and dim lanterns until they reached a creaking warehouse at the edge of the village.
Jace unlocked the door. The inside was sweltering, filled with crates stacked high and stained with leaking juice. The smell was overpowering—fermenting sweetness.
"This is it," Jace said quietly. "My last chance."
Juno raised his hand. A luminous door formed in midair, casting a soft golden light.
Jace took a step back. "The hell is that?"
"SeaTrade. The real thing."
"You can just open a door to it?"
"Try it," Juno said. "What do you have to lose?"
A transparent screen flickered in front of Jace. Tera's voice rang clear and calm.
[Welcome to SeaTrade. Let's begin by creating your store.]
"Step one," Juno said. "Name your shop."
Jace hesitated, then typed: Jace's Grove Goods.
[Next, list your products. Include names and descriptions.]
He entered: Sunburst Mangos, Lava Peaches, Red Bloom Figs.
Descriptions followed: "Sweet, grown in volcanic soil. Perishable. Ideal for fresh markets."
[Initializing product verification. A portal will now open. Only listed items may pass through.]
A secondary glowing portal shimmered open. Tera's voice returned:
Please begin transferring the listed goods. Unlisted items will be rejected.]
Jace looked skeptical. "It's really going to accept this stuff?"
"If your info's accurate," Juno said, "Tera's thorough."
They loaded crates together. One by one, the fruit vanished through the shimmering portal, each accepted with a soft chime.
[Verification complete. Proceed to storefront customization and pricing.]
"Step four," Juno said. "Set your prices. Add tags. Customize your banner if you want."
Jace got into it. He adjusted prices for bulk deals, uploaded a hand-drawn logo—a fruit-laden tree on fire—and added selling points: "Harvested from volcanic slopes," "Limited-time freshness."
[Storefront created. Your store is now live on SeaTrade.]
Tera's interface faded into the air, and they stood in silence. Ten minutes passed.
Then—
[Transaction Complete – One order placed. Delivery in progress.]
Another portal opened to the side. A golden bar dropped into a tray with a heavy thud.
[Payment issued in Net-Coin.]
Jace's eyes went wide. "Wait—this isn't berries. What is this Net-Coin?"
"SeaTrade uses Net-Coin for all transactions," Juno explained. "It's universal, stable, and immune to inflation or manipulation. But more importantly—you can convert it at any World Bank instantly."
Jace tapped into the interface. "World Bank…?"
[Welcome to the World Bank. You may exchange Net-Coin for gold or regional currency.]
He chose: Convert to gold.
A small door opened beside him. Another gold bar fell out.
Jace picked it up, staring. "This is… real. This is solid gold."
Juno nodded. "And you didn't have to leave the island. No ships. No pirates. No loss."
"This… this changes everything," Jace whispered.
Juno turned to leave, opening a new swirling portal.
"Wait!" Jace called. "Who are you?"
Juno smiled, stepping into the light. "Just someone who hates seeing good fruit rot."
And then he was gone.
Jace stood alone in the warehouse, the sweet scent of fruit still thick in the air. In his hand, gold. In his mind, possibilities.
Behind him, SeaTrade hummed softly—awaiting the next item, the next seller, the next spark of change.