"And I thought my Whispering Necklace was overpriced…" I muttered.

My eyes were closed, but they felt like they were bulging out at the shocking price tags of the objects that appeared before me as I swiped my fingers.

I glanced to the upper right corner of the screen.

[ 68 Nexus Tokens ]

That was how much I had in my current balance. It was certainly better than nothing at all, but it wasn't all that helpful either.

I looked back forward and frowned at the ridiculous item before me.

[ Squeaky Hammer: A giant hammer that emits a high-pitched squeaky noise upon impact. While it deals minimal damage, the sound can be incredibly annoying and distracting to opponents, disrupting their focus and lowering their defenses. ]

It was bright blue with what appeared to be thick green threads holding the inflatable hammer together. But that wasn't what shocked me most. Below it was a stupidly high price tag.

[ 450 Nexus Tokens ]

"Hey, System," I called out. I didn't bother using the Whispering Necklace since I was alone and didn't want to ruin my vocal cords from overuse.

"There's nothing here that I can even afford. Is there a way for me to earn more of these tokens?" I asked.

[ Why, there are most certainly items you can afford. ]

The screen twirled like a slot machine, ending on a page image full of various misshapen rocks.

I groaned. I had come across this page already.

[ Wobbly Pebbles : Available at the lowest price of 1 Nexus Token each, these marvelously pointless misshapen rocks will leave you scratching your head in bewilderment. These rocks, resembling shapeless lumps of clay, possess an uncanny ability to defy the laws of balance and stability. ]

[ Now, you might be wondering, what possible use could these awkward rocks serve? The answer, my friends, is likely none at all! The Wobbly Pebbles excel in their ability to be utterly useless and confounding in the most amusing way possible. ]

[ One might expect that hurling a Wobbly Pebble at an opponent would lead to spectacular consequences, but alas, you'll be sorely disappointed. These rocks possess all the impact of a tickle, inflicting no damage whatsoever. It's as if they were crafted to mock the very idea of being a weapon. ]

[ Moreover, the Wobbly Pebbles' extraordinary talent lies in their remarkable inability to maintain a straight trajectory. No matter how skillfully you aim, these unruly rocks seem determined to veer off course, creating a whimsical display of unpredictable flight paths that will surely have you questioning the laws of physics. ]

[ As you hold a Wobbly Pebble in your hand, you'll notice its squishy and malleable texture, reminiscent of playdough. It's almost as if these rocks were designed to serve as stress balls, providing a sense of temporary relief as you squeeze away your frustrations at their utter lack of practicality. ]

[ So, if you're in the mood for a useless novelty item that will leave both you and your opponents utterly perplexed, look no further than the Wobbly Pebbles. Collect them, display them, or simply marvel at their complete lack of purpose. ]

"I mean something useful," I said.

[ Everything can be useful if given a chance. Why, just take a look at yourself! ]

Tsk.

I ignored the snide remark and swiped my fingers through the air. The screen before me moved through various items.

It was a strange feeling moving my fingers and having this invisible screen that only I could see move. It was like magic. Perhaps even more confounding than magic even.

I sighed, wondering if I made a bad trade, giving up quite a number of functionalities to be able to access this Game Store.

No matter how much I looked, there was nothing reasonably helpful or worthwhile to spend my 68 Nexus Tokens on. There were health potions within budget, but I could easily buy that with regular Duex coins.

"Is there a way for me to earn more tokens?" I asked.

[ Of course. There are many ways. ]

[ The number one and most lucrative method is by beating a Game, such as the one you are playing. The harder the Game, the more lucrative the winnings. And Luca, you are in luck! ]

[ The Game you're playing is currently charting with the most number of Failed Players. ]

"Uh-huh." I adjusted myself on my bed, making myself more comfortable. I had been lying here for at least an hour while investigating the Game Store. "That hardly gave me the confidence boost I think you intended. And besides, obtaining the tokens after the Game's end doesn't really help me now, does it?"

[ Yes, well, there are other methods to obtain more tokens as follows: ]

[ Quest Rewards: Completing quests and missions assigned by NPCs can provide the Player with tokens as a reward. ]

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Hold up," I interrupted. "I thought you said quests won't appear until a couple of years when the original game starts?"

[ That is correct. Quests will appear in the year 784. ]

I sighed.

"System, can you offer me options I can utilize now or at least in a closer time frame?"

[ Of course, I was merely going in order of possible magnitude of earnings. ]

[ Crafting, Trading, Auctions, and Marketplaces: Earn tokens by gathering resources, crafting valuable items, and trading with other Players. Participate in auctions and exploit in-game marketplaces to buy low and sell high, accumulating profits in tokens. ]

"Other Players? But you said there weren't any other Players in this Game with me."

I was used to the System messing with me, but the lack of a proper dinner was beginning to get to me. While Leona had continued to eat when Chase barged in, I had not, and my hunger was catching up to me now.

[ Yes, the Game Store is accessible by Players regardless of their Game. However, the items that can be purchased are limited by the System in place there to ensure proper Game enjoyment. ]

Huh.

"So, I'm understanding that I can put objects into the shop and sell them to other Players in other Games?"

[ Correct. ]

I rubbed my hands together.

I may not have been a particularly good steward of the Frey Merchant Guild in my first life, but even with my lackluster past, I did have some experience in selling wares to other markets.

"Are there any particular limits on what I can sell in the Game Store?" I asked.

[ Yes, each System has the discretion to limit what you can purchase depending on the Game being played. Some items are too overpowered for certain Games and will thus be prevented from being purchased. ]

I smiled.

I had no intention of selling anything so burdensome. So this hardly was a limiter.

[ Note that you did not enable the chat feature, so you will not be able to communicate with other Players directly. ]

"That is fine," I replied. "I already have enough limitations to have been able to obtain access to the Game Store, as it were."

Not to mention, I saw no point in giving up any more functions to interact with strangers that considered worlds like my own a Game to be played.

To open up the Game Store, I had disabled various functions, some that I didn't even know I had.

For example, apparently, the System had been providing me with a function called "Tutorial and Help," which promised to give tooltips, hints, and explanations to ensure a smooth learning curve and assist a Player's understanding of the Game's intricacies.

Then there was the "Beginner's Adaptive Assistance," which made it easier and faster for me to develop my capabilities and stats, explaining how I could hop-skip my stats and gain abilities so quickly. It wasn't working to a full 100% but it was still a very prominent functionality.

Both of these functions I kept in place, deciding that given how new I was to all the Game mechanics, these two were the most helpful.

However, the ones I temporarily disabled were "Notifications of Stat Increases" for all stats except Intelligence, "Stat Screen Access," which tracked all my stats, levels, and abilities, and "World Map and Exploration."

This last one gave me pause, as I had no idea I had access to it all this time.

[ World Map and Exploration: The System grants access to an interactive world map, enabling Players to explore the virtual realm and discover new locations, dungeons, and hidden treasures. It provides valuable information about different regions, resource nodes, and points of interest. ]

When I first opened it up to decide whether to disable it or not, a large map appeared that moved and zoomed in if I motioned my fingers. It provided detailed information on other regions, like the Kobar Empire, the Daylan Dynast, Laupia, Adovoria, and all the other countries on the continent.

However, as interesting as it was, I had yet to travel far. Thus, this function was put on the chopping board as well, but on a more long-term one than the "Notifications of Stat Increases" and "Stat Screen Access." Even once I disabled my temporary access to the Game Store, I planned to take the access granted from the map and dump it into the "Beginner's Adaptive Assistance" to allow me to level up and increase my stats faster.

I moved my fingers through the air, moving the store items through the air before me.

Was there really nothing worth purchasing with my 68 Nexus Tokens?

[ As a reminder, as you indicated, temporarily disabling certain functions to access others, there is a cooldown period of time. Once you've requested the change, it will take 48 hours for me to adjust the settings again. ]

I nodded in understanding.

My stomach growled, complaining about the lacking dinner. I opened my eyes and looked about the dark bedroom. It was well into the night now.

Should I call Ben?

I shook the thought away.

Ben was undoubtedly with my Grandmother, who was about to pass away. Requesting a late-night snack seemed inconsiderate.

I'll just go to the kitchen myself and grab something.

I pushed myself out of bed and stretched my arms above my head. The wooden floor felt cool against my bare feet.

"System, I want to buy one of those rocks for one Nexus Token," I said.

I saw little point to them, but after having disabled my other functions, I wasn't about to leave the store without anything to show for it. And it would allow me to see how the Game Store mechanics worked.

[ Do you have a specific one you'd like to purchase? ]

"No," I replied. "You choose."

To me, they were all equally useless. It mattered little if the one I got was more curvy or bumpy or a slightly darker gray.

[ Congratulations, Luca! You have successfully purchased an item from the Game Store. Here are the details of your recent acquisition: ]

[ Item: Wobbly Pebble

Price: 1 Nexus Token ]

Additional blue screens appeared, providing a repeat of the description, functionality, and special attributes… which all essentially said in elongated terms that there were none.

[ Note: While the Wobbly Pebble may seem insignificant, keep an open mind and explore creative possibilities!

We hope you enjoy your new acquisition and wish you continued success in your adventures! ]

Based on the tone and the "we," this wasn't my System but some other System within the Game Store that provided the cheery notifications.

Hmm. Are all the Systems so different?

In front of me appeared the misshapen grey rock, seemingly floating in midair.

I reached out and grabbed it. It fit nicely into my palm.

"Huh," I muttered.

It was squishier than I expected, but it was still a rock with a soft surrounding texture. It reminded me of a tough piece of dough.

I tossed it toward my bed for good measure and scoffed, seeing it turn midair and hit the couch instead. I went and picked it up.

"Weird."

I threw on a robe and left the bedroom, continuing to play with the rock in my hand.

Clanging metal caught my attention as I walked through the hallway. I followed the noise, leading me straight to the kitchen. To my surprise, I found a massive, burly man who looked better suited for a battlefield than a culinary setting, struggling to chop vegetables with his brute strength.

I approached the kitchen counter, still clutching the Wobbly Pebble. The towering figure turned his attention to me, his muscular arms flexing as he wrestled with a particularly stubborn carrot.

I eyed his less-than-graceful attempts at cutting the vegetables. I wasn't much of a culinary expert, but even I knew how to cut a carrot, and it was certainly not by attempting to do so length-wise.

Could he be the cook behind the awful food from this morning?

He glanced at me, a hint of frustration in his eyes. "If you think you can handle these puny veggies, be my guest," he grumbled.

However, that wasn't what I was staring at now.

The Random Character Checker was in progress. And I happened to recognize his name from five years into the future.