004 Fusion, Blacklight Virus!
In less than half an hour, Lin Moze was completely amazed by the variety of goods in the Star Merchant's inventory.
At the same time, he gained a deep understanding of the so-called "small flaws" this guy was talking about.
For example, a Devil Fruit that, once eaten, allows the eater to transform into the "Sun God"—the small flaw being that the eater would never awaken.
Or a hammer that grants control over lightning once picked up—the small flaw being that only a truly perfect, righteous person could wield it, and even then, there's a risk of the hammer rejecting its wielder.
And there was also a power inheritance called "Second Son Path," with the small flaw... well, Lin Moze didn't want to recall that one, as the image was far too disturbing.
In short, each item was extraordinary, making it nearly impossible to choose.
In the end, a test tube on a glass bottle, containing a swirling crimson liquid, caught Lin Moze's attention.
"This one, you haven't introduced it yet. What is it?" he asked, pointing at the test tube that had captured his attention.
"This? This is the Blacklight Virus," the Star Merchant replied, "Originally believed to be a virus capable of perfectly enhancing the body, it grants the host unparalleled devouring evolutionary power."
He furrowed his brow, continuing, "But later it was proven that the virus doesn't enhance the body. Instead, it infects and assimilates the host's cells. During this process, it forms powerful viral clusters that instinctively strip away the host's consciousness, eventually creating a new personality."
"Isn't there a way to change the side effects of this devouring process?"
"The issue is," the Star Merchant paused for a moment, "for most ordinary people or even extraordinary beings, consciousness and will are incredibly hard to define subjectively. They're not like the soul, which is more concrete and definable."
He continued, "Unless someone is capable of manifesting their own will, able to directly define their existence, they can ignore this consciousness stripping. But those types of strong beings wouldn't need this virus anyway."
Define... oneself?
A gleam flashed in Lin Moze's eyes as he glanced at the talent description in his Savior's panel once again. His tone was resolute as he said:
"Very impressive. I'll take it. The Blacklight Virus."
"You—" The Star Merchant hesitated but then shrugged, "Alright, it's your choice. As a merchant, I have no reason to keep an item that can be sold."
Without trying to dissuade him, the Star Merchant tapped on an icon, and with a flash of light, the test tube containing the crimson liquid appeared in his hand.
"This is the Blacklight Virus you selected, along with a smart injector, assembled needle, automatic booster, painless injection structure, and a leak-proof device. You can inject it anywhere."
He placed the injector in front of Lin Moze.
However, Lin Moze didn't immediately grab it. He looked up at the Star Merchant and asked:
"So, Star Merchant, what's the cost?"
"As I said, there's a special offer. This vial of Blacklight Virus costs 100,000 exchange points, and I'll even accept interest-free deferred payments."
Seeing the confused look on Lin Moze's face, the Star Merchant waved his hand:
"I know you don't understand exchange points yet, but once you return to your world, simply kill a monster, and your Savior's panel will activate the corresponding module."
"Exchange points are a kind of currency you earn by killing monsters in your world and breaking down their bodies using the Savior's panel."
"Sounds like a virtual currency designed specifically for the Savior's panel. Is this useful to you?"
"It's not virtual. The points come from dimensional invasion worlds, and essentially, they're energy residues from monsters, making them valuable across the multiverse."
The Star Merchant, now in full-on educator mode, explained further:
"While these energy crystals don't do much for individuals, they're highly valuable to organizations like ours that operate across dimensions."
"Since they're so useful, why not just kill monsters in our world directly?" Lin Moze gestured towards the virtual light screen on the wall. "You control so many items and monitor this world so closely. Collecting points should be easy, right?"
"First of all, the process of generating exchange points is quite complex. It's not something that can be harvested casually. Secondly, we can't just enter your world at will."
"The dimensional barriers are only weak during an invasion. As outsiders, we rely on a brief window of opportunity to find potential customers and make deals."
"After a while, the barrier will stabilize, leaving only the breach created by the invasion. If I try to connect to your world directly afterward, I might end up being invaded myself."
The Star Merchant continued explaining, whether or not Lin Moze fully understood, before adding:
"By the way, to ensure you don't think I'm deceiving you, I'll tell you now how to gauge the value of exchange points."
With his words, the light screen next to them shifted, and an humanoid monster appeared on the screen. Lin Moze recognized it as the creature he had seen wreaking havoc in the school.
The Star Merchant pointed at the monster on the screen:
"This is a Kabane, one of the basic monsters that invaded your world. Think of it as a zombie variant. It has moderate speed and strength. Its only weak spot is the heart, and it has a tough protective armor. Each Kabane is worth 10 exchange points."
Kabane, another familiar name from Lin Moze's previous life, a monster from an anime that had been quite popular for a time. Lin Moze remembered the striking art and the female protagonist, and he even sought out resources to watch it.
The Kabane itself wasn't too strong, at least not compared to the hosts of the Blacklight Virus.
As he thought this over, Lin Moze said:
"So, if I kill 10,000 of these, I could pay off my debt? That doesn't seem too hard."
"No, you need to break down the bodies with the Savior's panel. Points aren't earned through monster kills like experience points. If you just devour the Kabane, your panel won't give you points."
"Got it, got it. At least I can reach that target. The cost is within acceptable limits."
Lin Moze nodded and then grabbed the test tube in front of him, decisively pressing the injection button against his arm:
"I agree to your terms. 100,000 exchange points. I'll get them to you as soon as possible."
"Good. With that, the transaction is complete. Thank you for your business."
The Star Merchant smiled, and a black card appeared in his hand. He handed it to Lin Moze:
"This is my shop's transaction invitation card. Once the dimensional barrier stabilizes, I'll only be able to contact you briefly through it for future trades."
"I look forward to our next transaction."
Lin Moze took the card and, as crimson-black tendrils began to surface on his body, he too smiled.
The next moment, the scene before him changed once again.