I sat in my room and looked out through the window at the moon-illuminated courtyard below. The castle was quiet. It had been a very long day-between hearing the nobles' complaints and checking on how the construction of the western district was going, I hadn't had much time to relax, much less think.
Now that the world has quieted, I let my mind wander. I thought of what happened last week: trolls, the Adventurers Guild, and the western district. It was as if every step I made unveiled a new challenge, another piece of the puzzle of this kingdom.
I felt stronger than ever.
Opening the status window lit up a little of the room with the familiar glow.
STATUS WINDOW
Name: Alaric Varelius
Level: 27
Health: 355/355
Mana: 200/200
Strength: 81
Agility: 43
Endurance: 70
Intelligence: 15
Charisma: 18
Skills: Gluttony (Active), Shadowstep (Tier 1), Lacerate (Tier 1), Howl of Terror
The numbers reflected the battles I'd fought and the strength I'd gained, but I knew better than to grow complacent. There was always someone—or something—stronger out there.
As I scrolled through the interface, something new caught my eye. A faint icon in the corner of the window, pulsing softly.
System Shop Unlocked.
I clicked the icon, and the screen changed. There were rows of glowing text in each line listing items, upgrades, and abilities that could be bought. Across the top of the screen appeared a notification message:
Current System Points: 5,000 (Gold converted: 500)
I leaned back on my chair and looked at the numbers. It did not take long to figure it out—1 gold was worth 10 system points. This meant that every quest, every bounty, and every piece of treasure could help me grow in ways I hadn't thought about before.
The options were limitless.
The shop split into sections.
1. Items:
Healing Potions (50 points)
Mana Potions (50 points)
Temporary Buff Items (100–500 points)
2. Skills:
Skill Tier Upgrades (Varies by Tier)
New Skills (1,000+ points)
3. Stats:
Attribute Increase (+1): 500 points
4. Equipment:
Basic Gear (500–1,000 points)
Rare Gear (5,000+ points)
I scrolled through the options, my mind racing. There were so many possibilities, but the points wouldn't last forever. I had to spend them wisely.
"Alright," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "What's the priority?"
The first thing that caught my eye was the Skill Tier Upgrade section. All of my existing skills—Gluttony, Shadowstep, Lacerate, and Howl of Terror—had small icons next to them, signifying they could be upgraded.
Skill: Shadowstep (Tier 2)
Cost: 1,500 Points
Effect: Increases teleportation range and reduces cooldown.
Skill: Lacerate (Tier 2)
Cost: 1,000 Points
Effect: Enhances bleeding damage and extends duration.
Skill: Howl of Terror (Tier 2)
Cost: 2,000 Points
Effect: Widens the range and increases fear duration.
I chose it, and the system softly chimed.
Skill Upgraded: Shadowstep (Tier 2)
The points in the corner dropped to 3,500, but it felt like a good investment.
I then went to the Stats section. Every point of an attribute cost 500 system points, and though it was tempting to dump all my points into strength, I knew better than to rely on brute force alone.
I bought:
+1 Agility (Cost: 500 points)
+1 Endurance (Cost: 500 points)
The points ticked down to 2,500, but the changes in my status window were already satisfying.
UPDATED STATUS WINDOW
Level: 27
Health: 360/360
Mana: 200/200
Strength: 81
Agility: 44
Endurance: 71
Intelligence: 15
Charisma: 18
Skills: Gluttony (Active), Shadowstep (Tier 2), Lacerate (Tier 1), Howl of Terror
I closed the window, leaning back and taking a deep breath. The system shop was a game-changer, no question about it. With enough gold—and enough system points—I could keep upgrading myself far beyond what normal training could achieve.
But it wasn't about me. If the shop could sell items and gear, maybe it could help the kingdom, too.
I kept thinking about this as I looked at the moonlit sky. The system shop was more than just a way to survive—it was a chance. And I wasn't going to waste that chance.