"Well?" We turn to look at Atech, "wat're we ere for kids? Urry up, I got bettar thing ta do than watch ye all sit ere quietly!" It's true when they say love changes a person, only that it is not always a good thing. He had always been patient with everyone, childrens especially. Now he prefers other things; like working on masterpieces and romantic dinners. I internally shrug my shoulders.

"Alrighty, so. You all got the announcement… yes? What do you think?" Billy decided to begin our talks… Within the first few sentences, we had determined the exact same things I did previously. That the event would give us the freedom to roam and just encounter random stuff due to the sheer size of it. What we are more concerned about is the meaning of equivalent trade and what rules exactly got relaxed.

"What do you think it means by; all manner of equivalent trade to everyone attending and about what rules exactly are loosening up?" Henry asks the group. That is peculiar, obviously what is meant by everyone attending is; only people who managed to get tickets into the event can trade. But, all manner… equivalent..?

"All manner is probably just a fancy word for everything." Agus offered his opinion, "so we can trade anything. Even a random rock on the ground."

"Except we can do that already. Though the aliens might actually want them; rocks from our planet." Billy the most businessman of us all said. "Foreign sample. But I think there's more to that than something so simple. Anything may already be put up for sale in The System Store, rock inc—."

"Not everything… I know for one that there are restricted items." Agus said, interrupting Billy with his eagerness. I am reminded about the Fashion Core Spell and the various Core related stuff from C²OPS. Who knows what else are restricted items, unfortunately, we don't even know where or what to look for.

"There are also no living beings for sale," Jennifer said, her carrying a tiny one right now probably allowed her to consider the matter. But yeah, there are no living beings; eggs are maybe the closest thing to living in regards to things The System Store sells. Even then, they are magically preserved.

Which reminds me, "they also do not sell souls."

"I think they have items with souls. Or like fragments of a soul, but not souls itself, yes." Agus replied, he and Henry both have explored a large part of the System Store, maybe like almost 1 percent of it. "Not like that's a common ability anyways, interacting with souls."

"Yeah," I kinda forgot about them too, didn't I… but items with souls huh, maybe I can give that a try one day. If I remember that is, or I am not distracted by new magical stuff.

"Alright, so all manner means everything—as in everything!" Jennifer said, raising her hand to make a wide encompassing gesture to emphasize everything. "But what about the rules getting relaxed part?"

Once again, there was silence.

"Well," Ardi opens his mouth to say. "We don't even know the rules. So finding out what changed will be an impossible task…"

From there, our topic of discussion shifted as Henry described his find regarding the purchasing of a Warden. It sounds to me like playing a free to play game with in-game microtransaction. First, we purchase a base model, which is cheap relative to its rank; this determines its 6 base attributes—Charisma does not apply to it. There are 6 ranks. Then we may upgrade them; adding attributes, increased size, give it better equipment and abilities; everything has its own price tag, and the warden itself is limited by its characteristics; being immobile for example means it cannot use abilities that alters its position, the same is true regarding Skills like Parallel Thoughts. These prices and selections vary depending upon who we buy it from, though all follow a similar design pattern.

By his estimate, a Warden with 1000 to all 6 Attributes, at least one good weapon and several of our usual abilities—that is to say Spells or Skills—would cost about 2.5 to 3 million Creds. Depending on how hedonistic he is in regards to the additional purchases. It's definitely pretty cheap, relative to our means, he will do some brand research and a lot of math so we might end up purchasing a stronger, more expensive, more worthy variant instead. The only downside with these Wardens are their zero mobility and lack of intelligence, or they would be a menace to bring into any form of battle.

"Alright, if all is in agreement, I'll finalize the purchase within these few days while everyone continues crafting the turtle parts." Henry concludes. We all went our separate ways, Henry caught up with me to request that I be the one to make the purchase due to how the prices are calculated; they are cheaper in relation to how high a buyer's Skill level or their Spell's mastery is. I gladly agreed to help, being frugal is good.

Exactly 7 more days to the event now.

Attend Opened doors, Closed doors?

Y / N

'Yes please!'

—

The day passes by in a flash when you're constructively busy, the same happens even with 6 days. Recalling how our Warden was purchased sucessfully yesterday, I Vault the newest Core-9000 and went off to hunt exactly four Water Elemental for this week's devouring, cutting it rather close this time as today is a sunday. Fortunately I had purchased a Rank 1 Mana Tower, located within a hidden spot near the Elemental Field Dungeon to allow me easier and much faster access. Just one tower, with two gates—yes, it turned out one tower may have multiple LeyLink Gates, I just never though about it until someone randomly mentioned it during dinner… or was it breakfast?—and an upgrade to the Tower Core so the whole thing is concidered my Territory; final price of 24,000 for a major convinience. Worth it!

Today, we are assembling the shell's chassis!

The act went by without a hitch. Helps that we are all various levels of superhumans, not to mention our access to magic. The rest of the day was spent doing preliminary work for the head and tails of our turtle, and all the various little details…

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

I feel kinda sleepy…

Gonna nap early…

Huh? Wait, something's not right! I was instantly alert and awake. My Mana Sense flares to life—when was it turned off in the first place?

Why am I SO. HUNGRY!!

Prey? Prey!

Blink, I've always wondered if Humans taste good. My hands grabbed on to the pitiful creature before me. Shrink Touch.

"Zen stop!"

"Somebody stun him, put him to sleep!" An impact with the force of a fully loaded truck hits my head, I ignored it so very easily. Barely a dent to my Hp. The same with several tiny insignificant tendrils invading my MindScape, a painfully pitiful attempt to influence my mind. For them.

"Its not working!"

"Damnit! Wakeup you dumbass!!"

I am awake, what are these food creatures talking about? To think I used to consider them friends. I turn my head to look at the prey surrounding me… They look familiar. Why do they look familiar?

"It's fine, I don't mind. All of you run away!" The food within my grasp speaks. Looking down, my heart twinges in pain for a split second. Such dramatic food. "Just me, leave the others alone, Zen. Listen to your mother."

This food thinks it can command me?

"Acek Zen!" Who? A tiny creature. This one is too small to be prey, but maybe along with the others, they may suffice. "Gramma too small to make you full, eat grampa Roy instead!"

"Hey!"

"She's right. We surrender!" Came a familiar voice, something tells me this one is dangerous. Even if it is prey. I look at it waving its hands at the others, they are communicating… Silently? Not possible, preys are dumb. "Shrink all of us and devour us all at the same time. Everyone, come closer! Jen…", its voice fades.

"You're gonna need a lot of mana for that, I suggest you trigger your symphony skill." Another familiar sound, this one I know is differently dangerous. "Symphony. You know the skill right, it greatly boosts your regeneration. With it, you'll barely have enough mana to shrink all of us." It started spouting stupid nonsense; total mass, mana cost… Symphony, I know of it, yes.

I remember, yes! Its words make sense, it shall make me a mightier Devourer. More mana to devour every single one of these pitiful souls. SYMPHONY!

"... Zen?"

"He suddenly stopped moving, is that good?"

"Maintain your distance!"

"Zen? Can you hear me?" My mom asks from somewhere ahead of me.

"Mom? What happened?" I ask, "why are all 6 parallel thoughts hazed and confused? Feels like I drank a planet's worth of Vodka, got into a fight and someone knocked me out with a megaton hammer."

"Its okay Acek Zen, even if you almost ate gramma." Mini's tiny voice said.

"I what?"

"I think I'll have nightmares and I'm supposed to be the one who is nightmare material." This voice, I know her… Polina?

Looking down at my kneeling mom, I quickly let go of my hand that is monstrously grasped around her neck. "Sorry mom!" Lesser Heal, I watch the injury on her neck fade. Looking around, the few friends I had surrounded me in a loose circle, further behind are various groups of other people. "So, what happened and where are we?"

The gist of it is, nobody know where we are exactly but it is easily identifiable as a massive building, enough to fit a planet's worth of people. One floor is maybe the size of Singapore, and there are thousands of floors. Some of us agree that there are probably as many floors as is necessary, no more, no less. On every floor, a massive door that clearly leads outside may be found… Locked!

I was also told of my previous accident, by mom herself, no less. Even with the calm brought about by SYMPHONY; I was conscious of the few drops of tears running down my cheeks as I begged for her forgiveness—she is very forgiving. "Thank you mom!"

"It's behind us," she replies with a smile for the nth time. "Good thing nobody got hurt."

I leave her to her much needed rest and made it my first priority to get something that can keep SYMPHONY permanently active, or in the case that is impossible; automatically re-activated if it is somehow deactivated. Trying hard not to mind the general population gave me a wide berth as I walk among them.

** DING **

Welcome

The doors shall open in 00:9:59

You may roam and interact with whomever you wish within the vicinity of the central park, stalls and shops are first come first serve and perfectly tradeable. Building entries are limited to related personels only

Trades may be established upon mutual agreement of one or more parties, whereupon it shall directly proceed in accordance with The System's jurisdiction under the basis of equivalent trade; using both Items, Creds, or any combination of the two. Regardless, all finalized trades, are final

These doors shall remain open for 30 Argead days. Whereafter every single individual, should they return, shall be returned into their previous position and in the exact moment they were taken. Violence is forbidden within the whole vicinity of this Event and remember, communication is the key

There was silence for about a minute, before all voices broke loose. Yells of stalls! Aliens! Open sesame! Shopping! And numerous others may be heard. Some curious, others excited, a few are even manic. The timer has not yet fallen below 9 minutes and everybody is already rushing for the nearest exit.

"Exact moment we were taken," Agus said from beside me, I had Sensed him approaching. Some of the others in tow. Since the hungry incident, besides the select few that had known me well, there is a bit of an awkward gap between me and pretty much everyone. "That's some crazy Time shit! Not to mention the size of this place, which is some crazy Spatial Sh—"

"I would appreciate it if you keep your language under control!" Tiffany scolded him, hand in hand with Mini.

"—enanigans" Henry finishes his sentence.

"Ready for some shopping!?" Jennifer grinned and asked the mother and child, earning her a very eager yes! The glint in their eyes gives me goosebumps, so I decided to sacrifice Henry and go out on my own later instead, preferably after the crowd thins out and all on my lonesome. "good luck buddy!" I secretly whisper to his ears.

I believe it is thanks to Human's incredible determination and the massive exits that I find the double doors empty within the hour. Unhurriedly and with confident steps, I place my first foot outside the building.