The moment Lawrence stepped through the dimensional gate, the world shifted beneath his feet. The colors bled into each other like wet paint, and the air felt sticky with magic and malice. Before him sprawled a twisted landscape of cracked obsidian streets, hovering stalls fashioned from bones and iron, and skies swirling with violet thunderclouds that never quite burst. This was not a realm of order. This was a marketplace for the desperate, the damned, and the dangerous.
His merchant bag, stitched from dragonhide and whispering with enchantments, pulsed faintly as if aware of the hunger around him. Lawrence pulled the strap tighter across his small, furred body, his ears twitching to every rustle and murmur around him. This was his trial by fire. No parental guidance. No godly dominion. Just raw instinct and a glowing system panel hovering beside him like a loyal assistant.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Dimensional Trade Mode Activated.
Current Location: The Market of Broken Realms
Danger Level: Medium-High
System Tip: Speak little. Watch everything.
"Helpful," Lawrence muttered under his breath, his crimson and cerulean eyes scanning the area.
He approached a decrepit stall manned by a many-eyed vendor whose grin was too wide and too eager. On display were bottled screams, fractured time shards, and a soul-eating comb. Tempting merchandise for anyone stupid enough to pick them up without inspection.
"New, are we?" the vendor hissed. "You smell like fresh spawn."
"And you smell like a lie with teeth," Lawrence replied smoothly, his voice deceptively innocent. His system pinged approvingly.
[Skill Gained: Silver Tongue Lvl. 1]
Passive: Slightly increases persuasiveness and resistance to scams.
He continued browsing, keeping his composure even as a hulking demon brushed past him with a blade taller than Lawrence was. He moved like a shadow through the warped alleys, watching other traders haggle with blood oaths and bits of memory.
At one corner, he stopped before a rusty display of broken relics. One of them—a chipped, obsidian disk—glowed faintly when he neared. The system pulsed.
[Appraisal in Progress...]
Item: Unknown Artifact
Current Perception: Useless debris.
Hidden Function: Amplifies illusion-based wards.
Suggested Sale Tag: "Soul Stabilizer v3.0"
Suggested Buyer: Paranormal royalty, paranoid spirits, fear-driven clients.
Lawrence's lips twitched. "Time to earn my first real coin."
He found his mark quickly: a floating ghost king encased in golden armor, who trembled at the whispers of shadowspawn. With careful words and the right tone, Lawrence spun the story of the 'Soul Stabilizer'—a rare, dimensional relic capable of warding off unstable entities and preserving sanity.
The ghost king bought it. With five crystalline coins of pure mana.
[Skill Gained: Merchant's Eye Lvl. 1]
Allows basic appraisal and price estimation. Unlocks deception-based trade enhancements.
As Lawrence walked away, tail flicking in smug triumph, he barely noticed the ripple behind him.
Hours later, when the ghost king came roaring back through the market with illusions pouring from his mouth and curses crackling around him, Lawrence had already disappeared into another alley—leaving behind only the faint scent of smoke and the echo of laughter.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Alignment Shift: +2 Cunning. +1 Infamy.
The Merchant Path deepens...
In the quiet that followed, Lawrence found a secluded corner and sat, letting the high of his first deal sink in. Then, a voice—soft, sarcastic, amused—whispered in the back of his mind.
Lawire: (gently)
"Not bad, rookie. But next time, maybe don't sell junk to someone who can phase through dimensions."
Lawrence's ears shot up. "Who—?"
No answer. Just a chuckle. Then silence.
His system flickered.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Condition Met: Psychological Threshold Breached.
Initializing Personality Sync Protocol...
He didn't know it yet, but the voices had begun.
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