"Originals are nonexistent, and even the knock-offs cost this much?" I grumbled, scrolling through the marketplace options with both excitement and annoyance. After browsing some of the high-end, mythical items, I switched over to check for mission details.
[Contractor-in-training #82736
Name: Lucas Morningstar
Next mission: Earth, January 7
Destination: Martial Arts Realm KZT89923
Travel Method: Soul Transmigration
Mission Objective: Leave an Exploration Mark.]
'Huh? So the next mission kicks off on January 7? And what's this Exploration Mark about? Better jot that down. Martial Arts Realm… it sounds dangerous.'
'Throwing a homebody like me into a world of swords and duels feels like a fast track to the afterlife.'
I quickly set up a new search filter to find anything useful for my upcoming mission within my 2,000-point budget, 'From my knowledge of other worlds and the tips that Transcender gave me, advanced tech and firearms might be useless in a world ruled by martial arts. I'd better stick to something appropriate.'
"Song Wind Sword Technique… 2,000 points. PASS. Golden Bell Shield, Level 1 to 3, 2,000 points… PASS!"
I scrolled through option after option, trying to decide what best suited me, 'Wait a minute—I've already got an ability, so why waste points? I only need something that complements or boosts my ability. Now the question is, will my ability even work in the Martial Arts Realm?"
[It will. Fantasy-type abilities work in most non-tech-heavy worlds, so you are good to go]
I grinned, relieved,"Although this does mean it'll be useless back in the real world… then again, maybe that's for the best. I'd rather live in a world without superpowers anyway."
[If you want to boost your ability, enhance your soul and mental energy. See the shop for options.]
'Everywhere I turn, they're asking for money. Capitalism reigns supreme in every realm… Anyway, what could I get for mental energy training?'
[Basic Meditation Technique, derived from a Technomagic Realm as a foundational exercise. 1,500 reward points]
"Wait, what? 1,500 points?"
'Even the Basic Qi-Hardening skill, which enhances physical toughness, is only 1,000 points. And yet, they want that much for just the basics of meditation.'
'If I buy this, I'd only have 500 points left—not even enough for a full set of Black Tiger Fist. Looks like I'll have to pass on mental training for now and see what martial arts options are available', I turned my attention to a combat technique I had in mind: [Eighteen Crushing Falls (Skill Technique): 2,000 reward points. A martial art that uses grappling to unbalance, control, and counter an opponent's attacks.]
'Eighteen Crushing Falls is practically made for my force-field ability. All that destabilizing, redirecting force, controlling movement—it will work seamlessly with my power. Grappling is not only practical in real fights, but it's also highly effective in crowd control. Unfortunately, I can't afford the 7,000-point version with internal energy cultivation, but hey, that's getting close to the 10,000-point price tag for Tai Chi.'
I made my decision and redeemed Eighteen Crushing Falls, 'I really tempted to learn true internal martial arts, but those skills take years to develop, and my next mission's in two months. Too bad there's no option for an instant download of decades of mastery…'
'Well, Eighteen Crushing Falls shares a close connection with Tai Chi, so it's still a high-level internal technique. For now, the priority is to find a way to incorporate my ability into it.'
'But with abilities restricted in the real world, practice can be a challenge. Not to mention, I have no idea if I can even train my mental energy outside of the mission worlds', With a sigh, I exited the marketplace, reluctantly, and chewed on my thumb as I thought it over.
Before long, the others appeared from the light pillars, each with different expressions. I brushed off my thoughts and greeted them. "So, how'd it go, everyone? The setup was a bit different than we expected, but I guess the overall tone was about the same."
Carl scratched his head, looking relieved but a bit disappointed. "Yeah, I thought long and hard about it. The perks from Transcender Space are tempting, but I'm not really cut out for all this adventure stuff. I like my life the way it is. Peace and simplicity, you know?"
"Totally get it," I nodded. "And the rest of you?"
Janice looked downcast. "I… opted out too. I'm just a student, and I don't want to get wrapped up in all of this. My family's not rich, but we're comfortable enough that I don't need to risk everything. I am a bit sad about losing my ability, though…"
Not surprising—Janice's ability was pretty amazing, and unlike Carl, she'd seen what it could do firsthand. I gave her an encouraging smile. "It's a good call. Like Carl said, there's value in a simple life."
I turned to Lana and Danny. "And you two? What did you decide?"
Danny hesitated, looking embarrassed. "I accepted. I mean, I thought about it, but… I love fantasy novels and anime too much to give up a chance like this."
Wow, talk about impulsive. But I couldn't help laughing and nodding. "Can't say I blame you. I still have plenty I want to do with my ability, too. What about you, Lana?"
Lana's expression remained calm. "I stayed as well. Transcender Space opens doors to resources and worlds beyond our imagination, and that's something I can't pass up."
I caught a glint in her eyes—something between ambition and excitement, 'This woman is definitely no ordinary person.'
"So, what happens next? You two won't remember any of this after you leave, right?" I asked Carl and Janice curiously.
Carl sighed, nodding. "Yeah. Going back to normal means everything will be wiped—this experience, the powers, everything. I'll probably just remember it all as a weird dream. I doubt I'd even recognize you guys."
That hit hard, 'We might not have been close friends, but sharing an experience like this and then becoming strangers again left a strange sense of loss.'
Danny noticed the mood and playfully hugged Janice. "Don't be too sad, Jan! Just try not to freak out when I say hi to you at school tomorrow."
We all burst into laughter. Before this, Danny and Janice hadn't really been friends, so imagining them interacting back in the real world was a funny thought.
Danny's playful interjection lifted the atmosphere, and soon, Carl and I exchanged a firm handshake. He even vowed that, if we ever met again, he'd want us to reconnect in real life.
Once they left, I found myself staring at the door, wondering if I'd made the right decision. But from now on, only I would have to worry about that.
"House, Danny, let's exchange contact info for Transcender Space." Lana's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Once we complete our first mission, we'll be full-fledged Contractors. We'll gain access to a personal room here, the marketplace, and other areas of Transcender Space. We can connect with other Contractors and even team up on missions. This trial showed we work well together, so even if we don't team up every time, we can help each other out."
Lana held out her hand, and I raised my ring to sync with Danny's watch and her bracelet, 'It seems we can use these devices to leave messages, though real-time communication will only be possible when Transcender Space opened each month. Might as well just use WeChat.'
[Contractor #82736, Lucas Morningstar, adding Contractors #82737 and #82738 as contacts.]
Suddenly, I remembered something.
'They don't know my real name yet', I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Uh, by the way, guys… I actually lied about my name. At first, I was just being cautious, so I used a fake name. My real name is Lucas Morningstar. Sorry for keeping it from you."
Danny looked stunned. "Wait, what? You're not Gregory House?"
Lana, however, burst into laughter and playfully tousled Danny's hair. "Oh, I knew it. I didn't use my real name, either. My real name is Angela White. Not too different from my alias, unlike this guy who went from 'Lucas Morningstar' to 'Gregory House'."
Danny pouted. "So that's how the real world works, huh? I'm just plain old Danny Roberts. No secrets here."
Lana— Now, Angela—and I laughed, and we ended up teasing Danny until she was back to her cheerful self.
"So, what's your first mission? Mine's a soul transmigration to a world with magic and superpowers to gather some materials. Sounds pretty tough." Danny frowned, looking a bit overwhelmed.
Angela thought for a moment, tapping her chin. "A powered world… My mission is to retrieve the source code of an AI from a near-future sci-fi realm. I wonder if the missions are tied to our abilities. Lucas, any ideas?"
I scratched my head. "I'm supposed to leave an 'Exploration Mark' in a Martial Arts Realm. Honestly, I have no idea what that even means. Am I supposed to make a map or something?" I grumbled, still puzzled by my mission's vague objective.
"As for the items to exchange… I agree that we'll probably be heavily relying on our abilities in these first missions. With the next mission coming up in two months, there's only so much we can improve, so it's probably most efficient to focus on enhancing our abilities for now."
The regret of losing my points to expensive mental-strengthening techniques still stung. "Unfortunately, the best way to boost abilities directly is through mental training, but the techniques for that are ridiculously expensive. It's probably better for us to start with skills that build on what we already have."
"Danny, maybe you should look into getting some elemental spells, especially fire-based ones. As for you, Angela, you could invest in a mental training technique for telekinesis or skill application methods. Think something like the Force in Star Wars or the nen abilities in Hunter x Hunter."