A faint, mechanical voice echoed in Roy's mind.
"System activated."
He blinked, his eyes still heavy with sleep, barely registering the words. His mind was far too preoccupied with the memories of last night—the storm, the rain, and that blinding lightning strike. It played over and over in his head, like a loop he couldn't escape from. Each time the lightning struck, it felt more real, more terrifying.
Suddenly, he jerked awake, sitting up straight with a gasp.
"Aaaaaaa!" Roy shouted, drenched in sweat, his heart racing wildly. His breath came in short, ragged gasps, his chest heaving as he tried to make sense of where he was.
His eyes darted around. The dim, sterile light of the room, the beeping of machines—it took him a moment to realize he was no longer in his house, but in a hospital bed.
"What...?" he muttered to himself, confused and disoriented. The voice he heard earlier, was it real? And that lightning—how was he still alive? His thoughts raced, tangled in the haze of his awakening.
Just then, the door opened, and a doctor walked in, wearing a calm but concerned expression.
"Ah, you're awake," the doctor said, approaching Roy's bedside. "How are you feeling?"
Roy looked at him, wide-eyed, still in shock. He swallowed hard, his voice shaky as he asked, "Am I... am I alive? How is that even possible?"
The doctor offered a reassuring smile, though his eyes showed a hint of surprise. "It's not possible... not under normal circumstances," he replied. "But in this case, we might call it a miracle."
Roy blinked, trying to process the doctor's words. A miracle? That didn't make sense. He had been struck by lightning—he should be dead, or at least severely injured. But here he was, sitting up in a hospital bed, alive.
As Roy tried to wrap his mind around the situation, something flickered in the corner of his vision. A soft, blue light hovered above his head, like a hologram, displaying strange symbols and text.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
"System..." he muttered under his breath, barely audible.
The doctor raised an eyebrow. "What was that?" he asked.
Roy pointed at the glowing blue screen, his voice rising in confusion. "Can you see it? The... the hologram! It's right here!"
The doctor looked at Roy with concern, then glanced around the room. "There's nothing there," he said gently. "You're likely still feeling the effects of the shock. Don't worry, it's common after such a traumatic event."
Roy's heart pounded in his chest. Was he seeing things? He stared at the hologram, the glowing letters and symbols swirling before his eyes, but it seemed the doctor couldn't see it.
The doctor gave him a sympathetic look. "I think you need some more rest," he said. "I'll go call your family and let them know you're awake."
Without waiting for a response, the doctor turned and left the room, leaving Roy alone with the strange blue hologram hovering in front of him.
As soon as the door closed, Roy's eyes locked onto the hologram again. He couldn't tear his gaze away from it.
"What... is this?" he whispered to himself, his mind spinning with questions. Was it real? Was this somehow connected to what he had wished for the night before—the status window like in his favorite manhwa and anime?
Roy sat still in the hospital bed, his mind racing. The strange hologram was still floating in front of him, pulsating softly, but now he was trying to make sense of it. What is this thing? He thought. Some kind of... ability?
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, the hologram flickered, and a voice—clearer this time—spoke directly inside his head.
"Hello, host. I am the Merchant System."
Roy blinked in surprise. "What... What do you mean, 'Merchant System'?" he asked, looking around the empty room, unsure if he was losing his mind.
The voice continued, calm and emotionless. "I am a system designed to teleport you into another world where magic exists. Your task is to sell modern products to the inhabitants of that world. For every successful transaction, the system will reward you."
Roy's eyes widened. "Wait, hold on," he said, his heart pounding. "You're telling me I can go to another world? Like, an actual world where magic is real?"
"Yes," the system replied without hesitation. "You can travel between this world and the magical one, using the system's teleportation feature. However, please note that time flows differently in that world. For every seven days you spend there, only one day will pass in the real world."
Roy's jaw dropped. "Seven days there, only one day here?" He could barely contain his excitement. "That's... that's amazing!" His mind whirled with possibilities. He'd read countless stories about people traveling to other worlds—about magic, adventure, and new opportunities. But this—this was happening to him!
"What else can I do with this system? Do I get any special powers or abilities?" Roy asked eagerly, his voice filled with anticipation.
The system paused for a brief moment before answering. "No, host. You do not possess any combat abilities or magical powers. Your strengths lie in communication—particularly in customer negotiation and convincing skills. You are a merchant, and your success depends on how well you can sell."
Roy's excitement faltered for a moment. "Wait, so... no magic? No fighting skills? Just... selling things?"
"Yes," the system replied, as blunt as ever. "Your role is to introduce modern products from your world to the inhabitants of the magical world. The better your sales performance, the greater your rewards."
Roy rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a little underwhelmed. "I thought I was going to be some kind of hero or warrior in another world," he muttered to himself. "But I guess I'll just be... selling stuff?"
The system's voice didn't waver. "Correct, host. Your success will be determined by your ability to convince and sell to customers. However, the rewards offered by the system can grant you additional benefits to improve your effectiveness."
Roy thought about it for a moment, then a grin slowly spread across his face. "Well, it's not exactly what I expected," he said, chuckling to himself, "but hey, it's still another world. I get to travel, experience magic, and sell modern products. That's got to be interesting, right?"
He leaned back into his pillow, feeling the adrenaline rush through him. The system might not have given him the powers of a hero, but this was still an opportunity unlike any other. And besides, how hard could selling things be in a world where no one's ever seen modern technology before?
"Alright," Roy said, his excitement returning.