2024-08-09 23:15:46"Astraea! We have a problem!"
A young-looking woman screamed as she appeared on the marble pagoda floating in the night sky. She pointed at the unconscious body of the man she dragged behind her.
"He shouldn't be here! You have to help me before the others find out about my mistake!"
Astraea chuckled as her long, pale legs slid out from her toga as she stood up from her favorite chair. Her dark hair swayed alluringly with her hips as she strode over to take a closer look at the "problem."
"He's an ascendant." She let out an amused smile as her golden eyes pinned her friend in place. "You've done him a grave injustice by not preparing a gift for him."
"I know! Please, don't tell anyone. Can you fix it for me? I can't do anything once it reaches this stage."
"Fine, but you know what I want for payment, don't you?"
Astraea's grin sent a shiver down her friend's spine. However, there was no way she could refuse!
"I accept! Now hurry, he won't last much longer."
A pair of golden scales appeared in Astraea's right hand as she placed her left on Ethan's head. The scales quickly tipped to one side, causing a displeased expression to appear on Astraea's face.
"You really messed up big this time." She sighed as her eyes glowed brighter.
A white, ethereal orb appeared on the other side of the scales. As it grew, the scales slowly started to even out. Astraea's frown grew deeper as she sensed the immense drain on her powers it was taking to achieve the desired result.
Eventually, the scales balanced.
With a delicate movement, Astraea plucked the orb from the scales and pressed it against Ethan's forehead. It slid into his skull without meeting any resistance, and the rampaging heat in Ethan's mind started to calm down.
"That should balance the injustice he's suffered. Now, you and I need to have a proper chat. Send him back..."
Ethan groaned as he squinted against the daylight pouring in through the apartment window. 'Ugh, why does my head hurt so much?' Ethan froze as he noticed a strange purple box of text hovering in front of his eyes.
[Congratulations on your Ascension! Welcome to your personal Esper Ability, the Otherworld Exchange System! Here is your Status.
Name: Ethan Li
Race: Human Class: Esper Ability: Otherworld Exchange System Level: 1 Power: 15 Grade: Novice Balance: 0 AECStats
Health: 5/5 Stamina: 4/4 Energy: 6/6 Strength: 2 Endurance: 3 Agility: 1 Intelligence: 4 Wisdom: 2 Charm: 2 Luck: 1Skills
Generate Aetherium Coins: Create AEC in a cost ratio of 3 energy per coin created.Deposit:
Deposits physical AEC into your System Balance.Withdraw:
Withdraws AEC from your System Balance into physical coins.Otherworld Free Market:
Order items from the Otherworld Market. (Note: All orders cost AEC and are delivered immediately.)]'Wait, isn't this the same thing they're always talking about on TV?' Ethan vaguely remembered some interviews he had seen where they went over the so-called "stats" of espers working as heroes in the Otherworld.
'I never really paid attention before because I thought it would never affect me.' He wasn't like the majority of other people who had a bad case of "hero" worship. However, it was understandable.
These "heroes" were often used in adverts, movies, and TV shows. A lot of entertainment was based on the adventures they had in the Otherworld.
The well-known ones also happened to make a crazy amount of money! 'This could be my chance! But...'
Ethan frowned as he glanced at the name of his ability. It didn't sound powerful at all!
'There isn't a cost mentioned with using the market skill. Since I need to use the "Aetherium Coins" to buy anything from it, I should create some coins first.
Ethan mentally thought about activating the skill to generate AEC, and he found he could set it to any amount his energy could cover. He held out his right hand before confirming the usage of the skill.
A small bright light covered his hand from view, and the next moment, he felt a slight weight in his palm before the light vanished!
In its place were two golden coins with an "A" stamped on both. He spent a few seconds admiring their weight before activating Deposit. 'Ok, let's take a look at this market now. I hope I have enough to get something.'
[Welcome to the Otherworld Free Market. Please note that only items suitable for your Grade will be displayed. Your consciousness will now be transferred to the Marketplace.]
"What the..."
A sudden sense of weightlessness overcame Ethan as his vision turned dark briefly before being blinded by neon lights!
Everywhere he looked were vending machines, slots, claw games, and other things usually found in arcades and casinos.
"This... is the Marketplace?"
Ethan rubbed his chin as he took in the sights. He had been expecting another text box or something he could scroll through. This was entirely outside of his expectations!
With a hint of feeling overwhelmed, Ethan approached the nearest vending machine. After all, he figured the machine was the closest thing to actual stalls or shops for selling goods.
Inside the machine, he saw small boxes lined up with a letter and number below them. The item boxes were insanely colorful packaging depicting the item stored inside, along with a label describing what it was.
Most of the items he saw either looked strange or made him dubious as to their actual effects. There was only one item that he felt certain about. 'Well, I need to test it anyway... So it should be fine, right? I'm certainly not buying it because it's the only thing I can afford!'
Ethan clenched his jaw as he looked at what he considered to be outrageous prices for the other items. Some of them even reached into the hundreds of AEC!
He slowly typed in the ID of his item and selected to buy two of them since each cost a single coin. As the machine moved to collect the items and drop them in the collection point, Ethan belatedly realized the other machines may have sold other more affordable items.
"Damn..." he sighed as he glanced at the numerous other machines that seemed to stretch on forever. "Maybe next time."
He calmly collected both boxes and thought of the mental command to exit the Marketplace. A moment later, he was sitting on his couch holding two brightly packaged boxes. 'It was a success!'
Ethan chuckled to himself as he struggled to believe it.
BANG! BANG!
"Mr Li! Open up!"
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Dance of Shadows (Part 2)
Galen stood beside Ethan, his sword raised, the dark blood of their enemies still dripping from its blade. The mercenary's eyes darted between Ethan and the advancing creatures, his jaw clenched in frustration."I hope you've got more tricks up your sleeve," Galen muttered, readying himself for the next onslaught.Ethan gripped his sword tighter, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. They were both exhausted. The odds were against them, but he couldn't let fear take root."We can't fight all of them," Ethan said, his voice strained. "We need to retreat, regroup, and figure out how to get ahead of this thing."Galen gave a bitter laugh, sidestepping as a creature lunged at him, his sword flashing in the dim light. "Retreat? You mean run for our lives.""Call it what you want," Ethan replied, slicing through a snarling beast that came too close. "But if we stay here, we're dead."The creatures were closing in faster now, their twisted forms moving with a hunger that made Ethan's skin crawl.
Dance of Shadows (Part 1)
The world seemed to collapse into chaos the moment the creatures charged. Ethan barely had time to react. The ground quaked beneath his feet as more of the twisted monsters clawed their way to the surface. They were smaller than the ones they had fought earlier, but there were more of them—dozens, maybe hundreds—and their numbers seemed endless.Galen was already in motion, his sword gleaming as it carved a deadly arc through the first wave of creatures. His movements were fluid and precise, like a seasoned warrior who had seen his share of nightmares. But even Galen couldn't cut them down fast enough."Focus, Ethan!" Galen's voice cut through the chaos, snapping Ethan from his trance. "We need to keep moving!"Ethan forced himself to act, pulling his sword free once more. His arm ached from the earlier skirmish, the bite wound still fresh, but there was no time to worry about pain.One of them lunged at him, its claws aimed at his throat. Ethan ducked, swinging his sword upward in a
The Heart of Darkness (Part 3)
The echo of the tree's deathly screech still sounded through the surroundings. The air felt different now—less oppressive, but not by much. Ethan crouched by the remains of the twisted tree, studying the charred roots curling inwards like the clawed hands of a dying monster.He winced as he reached into his pack for a pair of gloves. His forearm throbbed where the creature had bitten him, but he couldn't afford to stop now. They had come this far, and he needed more than guesses if there was any hope of truly understanding the Blight—of defeating it for good.As his fingers brushed the tattered remnants of the tree, a cold shiver ran up his spine. Even in death, the thing exuded a dark energy. Ethan pulled a small vial from his belt, scooping up a sample of the blackened bark. It crumbled quickly under his touch, releasing a faint, sulfuric odor."This is definitely unnatural. Even for this world," Ethan muttered under his breath, scanning the area. "There's something more here."Gale
The Heart of Darkness (Part 2)
Ethan barely had time to process the change in the air before the first creature came charging at them from the shadows of a tree. It moved so fast it was a blur, a mass of twisted limbs and pulsing flesh. The smell hit him first—a pungent stench of rot and decay, like something that had been left to fester far too long. The creature let out a wet, gurgling screech as it lunged for Galen, its claws swiping at the older man with terrifying speed.Galen reacted in a flash, his sword already drawn. Steel met flesh with a sickening thud as he sidestepped the creature's attack and brought his blade down, cleaving through one of its gangly arms. The beast didn't slow. It twisted in mid-air, its remaining limb extending unnaturally to grab Galen's arm. Ethan watched, horrified, as the thing's flesh seemed to pulse and stretch like putty, trying to envelop Galen's wrist.But Galen was ready. With a swift, brutal motion, he sliced again, severing the mutated limb entirely. The creature howled,
The Heart of Darkness (Part 1)
After a busy few days in Nexus and grueling training sessions with Galen, Ethan stood at the city's edge, staring into the vast horizon where the Blight awaited. His body ached from Galen's relentless combat drills, but the real exhaustion settled in his mind. He'd done everything he could to prepare, both physically and mentally. Still, as the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the decayed land beyond, he couldn't help but wonder if it was enough.Nexus bustled behind him, ignorant of the encroaching danger. The city's citizens went about their lives, unaware of the dark, festering wound spreading not far from their doorstep. Ethan took in a deep breath, letting the cold, crisp air fill his lungs. It was almost peaceful here, but the tranquillity did little to settle his nerves.He adjusted the straps of his backpack, mentally ticking off the list of things he'd prepared for this expedition. His trips into the Otherworld Free Market had been productive, though cos
Shadows Of Succession (Part 3)
Ethan stood in the dimly lit Nexus, the evening sun casting long shadows on the shop's stone walls. His mind buzzed with a hundred thoughts, each one tangled in a web of alliances, enemies, and opportunities. He felt like he was juggling too many flaming swords at once, and one misstep would set his entire world ablaze.The King was dying. The royal court was a viper's nest, poised for a deadly game of succession. Princess Elara was scrambling for control, the Baron was plotting revenge, and the Blight festered like an open wound in the world."Reputation," he muttered again, the word haunting him like a whispered curse. Nexus had potential, but potential wasn't enough. He needed to carve his place into the city's bones before someone else carved him out of it. And that meant making a bold move.The door to Nexus swung open, and Xi stepped in, her presence as unsettling as ever. Her sharp, calculating gaze scanned the room before locking onto Ethan."You've been brooding," Xi said, he
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