Harrison paused mid-step, the polished sole of his shoe hovering just above the threshold as if time itself had caught him by the collar. He turned his head slightly, one brow lifting beneath the sharp frame of his glasses, his gaze sliding back toward Arceus with quiet curiosity that carried a hint of amusement.
"Yes?"
Arceus had already moved.
He stepped out from behind the counter, the wooden floor giving a faint creak beneath his hurried stride, his heartbeat rising fast enough that he could feel it in his throat. His palms felt damp, his breath just a fraction uneven, yet his eyes held steady as he forced the words out before hesitation could claw them back.
"I've thought about your offer," he said, his voice louder than before, carrying a firmness that surprised even him. "And I won't negotiate further. 1,150,000 credits on top of clearing all my debts."
A brief pause.
"I can agree to this offer, but…"
Harrison's second brow joined the first, both lifting now in mild intrigue. "But?"
The air between them tightened slightly.
"I have conditions."
For the first time since entering the store, Harrison fully turned back, stepping inside again with measured calm. The door eased shut behind him with a soft click, sealing the moment in place. He folded his arms neatly across his chest, posture relaxed, yet attentive, as though he had just discovered a variation in an otherwise predictable script.
"Go on."
Arceus swallowed once, grounding himself, then spoke.
"Before I sign anything… you'll need to buy everything in the store."
A beat passed.
"Not as part of the deal," he added quickly, his tone sharpening with intent. "As a customer."
Harrison's lips curved slightly, a faint smirk forming as his gaze drifted lazily across the interior again, this time slower, more deliberate. The shelves, the corner cabinet, the quiet hum of the refrigeration unit at the back, the scattered signs of a business that had been holding itself together through sheer stubbornness.
"There's hardly anything here," he said, his voice light, almost dismissive.
"I'll print you the list," Arceus replied without missing a beat, already turning toward the old PC.
The machine whirred awake with a tired hum, its screen flickering faintly as he pulled up the inventory list. His fingers moved quickly across the keyboard, the clacking keys echoing softly in the otherwise quiet shop, each press carrying a weight far heavier than the action itself.
This wasn't just a sale.
This was the final push.
The printer sputtered once.
Then again.
Before finally groaning to life, paper feeding through in uneven bursts as ink carved out the details line by line.
Arceus grabbed the sheet as soon as it emerged, the edges still warm, and handed it over.
"Thirty-seven monster eggs," he said, his voice steady now, controlled. "Each priced at 1,000 credits."
His finger tapped lightly against the page.
"And roughly three hundred and fifty kilograms of pet feed and accessories."
A small breath.
"Total… 81,542 credits."
Harrison took the paper, his eyes scanning it quickly, efficiently, the faint crease between his brows returning as he processed the numbers.
"Expensive eggs for Elite Rank potential…" he muttered under his breath, more to himself than to Arceus.
The silence stretched for a second.
Then—
"But fine."
The decision came easily, almost casually.
"You're not haggling," he continued, folding the paper slightly between his fingers. "And we need this property."
His gaze lifted, sharp and direct.
"I assume you'll prepare to sign the transfer contract immediately after I purchase these items?"
"I will," Arceus replied, a flicker of urgency rising again in his chest. "Just one more thing."
His tone shifted.
Firmer.
More grounded.
"I need a month before the handover."
Harrison held his gaze for a moment, weighing, calculating, the faint ticking of unseen clocks passing between them.
Then he nodded.
"Very well."
Simple.
Decisive.
"You can have one month."
He slipped the paper aside and reached for his smartphone once more.
"Shall we proceed with the signatures?"
A soft tap.
Another.
The faint glow of the screen reflected briefly against his glasses as the transaction processed.
Then—
A gentle beep sounded from the computer.
Clear.
Final.
"Payment complete," Harrison said, lowering the phone. "The items are now company assets."
For a brief moment, Arceus didn't move.
Then he bowed slightly, a small, sincere gesture that carried more weight than the action itself.
"Thanks for doing business," he said, his voice quieter now, yet steadier than it had been all day. "If you could wait a moment, I'll fetch the documents."
"Alright."
As Harrison remained near the counter, the atmosphere in the shop shifted subtly, like a tide pulling inward.
And then—
Ding!
The sound did not come from the store.
It rang inside Arceus's mind, sharp and unmistakable.
[Main Quest Completed]
[Click to receive your reward.]
The holographic screen shimmered into existence before him, its translucent surface glowing softly, the final notification blinking with quiet insistence.
Waiting.
Calling.
But Arceus didn't move toward it.
Not here.
Not in front of someone else.
He turned instead, forcing his expression into something neutral, and walked toward the staircase at the back. Each step creaked under his weight as he climbed, the familiar sound grounding him even as anticipation coiled tightly in his chest.
Upstairs, the room greeted him with stillness.
Sunlight slipped through the half-open window, falling across worn shelves and a small bed rolled with faded sheets, the air carrying the faint scent of wood and time.
He moved to the wardrobe, pulling it open, his fingers reaching toward the small safe tucked into the corner.
A click.
A turn.
The door opened.
Inside lay the house deed.
He took it carefully, the paper feeling heavier than it should, as though it carried not just ownership, but everything tied to it.
Only then—
Did he tap.
Receive Reward.
Light erupted.
Blinding.
Pure.
It swallowed the room whole, washing over the walls, the floor, his hands, erasing edges and shadows until nothing remained but white.
Ding!
[System Upgrade: Initiating…]
Ding!
[System Upgrade: Initiating…]
[War God System Activated.]
The light surged once more, brighter, sharper, before collapsing inward just as suddenly as it had appeared.
Arceus staggered back a step, his shoulder brushing against the desk as he caught himself, his breath coming fast, uneven, his chest rising and falling as though he had just run a great distance.
His hand gripped the edge of the table tightly.
And then—
Warmth.
A strange, pulsing warmth spread across his palm.
He looked down.
A mark had appeared.
A small crescent moon, glowing faintly in golden-white, its edges soft yet distinct, pulsing once… then again… before sinking into his skin as if it had never been separate from him at all.
His fingers flexed instinctively.
Gone.
Yet not gone.
Before he could fully process it—
Another screen flickered into existence.
Then another.
Notifications cascaded down in quick succession, each one layering over the last, filling his vision with motion and light.
"Hm?"
His eyes moved quickly, scanning—
And then—
They stopped.
A smile formed.
Not the tired, practiced one he wore for customers.
Something real.
Something lighter.
Hope.
[Congratulations. You have received the Newbie Summoner Package.]
[Contents: 1x Direwolf (Summon Token), 1000 Store Coins, 1x 11-Draw Summon Ticket]
[System Feature: Lottery Wheel] – Unlocked
[Inventory] – Unlocked
[Main Quest: Updated]
[Side Quests: Added]
"Oh… a direwolf, right off the bat…" he murmured, a faint breath escaping him, almost like a quiet laugh. "This is… finally starting to feel like a proper system."
A new panel unfolded as he selected the updated quest, the interface shifting smoothly as it redirected him.
Main Quest: Bind the System to a store location.
Reward: Exchange Feature
Side Quests:
Side Quest 1: Obtain the first monster. Reward: Summoner's shop unlocked.
Side Quest 2: Raise a monster to Level 10. Reward: 100 coins.
"Looks like…" he said softly, leaning slightly against the desk as his thoughts began to align, "the system still wants me to be a store owner."
A faint smile lingered—
Then faded just a little.
"But why…" he muttered, brows knitting slightly. "Why does it care about the store?"
The question hovered.
Unanswered.
He exhaled slowly, letting it go for now.
There were more important things.
His gaze shifted.
Inventory.
The Direwolf summon token glowed faintly, pulsing as if aware of his attention.
He reached out.
Tapped.
Light gathered.
Soft at first.
Then brighter.
Tiny particles of golden-white shimmered into existence at the center of the room, swirling together like drifting fireflies finding a shared rhythm, converging, tightening—
Forming.
And then—
A small creature appeared.
Black fur.
Soft.
Fluffy.
A round face with a short snout and oversized eyes that blinked slowly, adjusting to existence itself.
It tilted its head.
Then—
Sneezed.
A tiny, abrupt sound that broke the silence.
"Ack—"
Arceus froze.
Then burst out laughing, the sound spilling out freely, unrestrained, as if something inside him had finally cracked open.
"You little…" he said between breaths, crouching down quickly. "You're way too cute!"
The direwolf pup waddled forward on unsteady legs, each step slightly clumsy, until it reached him and plopped down beside his foot, looking up with bright, curious eyes.
Arceus reached out, his hand brushing gently against its head, fingers sinking slightly into the soft fur.
"Alright…" he said, his voice softer now, steadier. "I'll name you… Black."
Ding!
[You completed Side Quest 1.]
[Summoner's Shop] – Unlocked.
[Side Quest 1 – Updated]
[Monster named: Black]
[Please choose a core attribute for this monster.]
Options Available: [Fire] [Water] [Thunder] [Earth] [Shadow] [Light]
Arceus blinked, his hand pausing mid-motion.
"An attribute too…?" he murmured, eyes narrowing slightly as he considered the options. "So they don't have one by default…"
His thoughts moved quickly, instinct and memory guiding him.
"Fire boosts power… water and earth are too slow…" he muttered. "Thunder suits wolves best… shadow isn't stable…"
His finger hovered.
Then shifted.
"Light doesn't match…" he said quietly. "But it gives assurance…"
A small pause.
Then—
He tapped.
Ding!
[Attribute set: LIGHT]
[New Species: Direwolf added to Shop]
[Growth Pill is added to the Shop]
"Wait…"
His eyes widened slightly as the next panel opened.
Summoner's Shop – (Lv. 1)
Direwolf Egg
Grade: Legendary
Max Level: 50
Cost: 100 coins
Growth Pill
Effect: Raises the companion's level by 1–10
Cost: 500 coins.
For a moment—
He just stared.
"Legendary…?" he whispered, disbelief threading through his voice. "Level fifty… that's King Tier…"
His heartbeat quickened again, but this time—
Not from fear.
From possibility.
"The ones I sold before…" he murmured, a faint laugh escaping him. "Didn't even cross twenty…"
His gaze flicked down to Black, who had now discovered the edge of a rug and was attempting to nibble it with surprising determination.
"Looks like…" Arceus said softly, leaning back slightly, watching the small creature with a quiet, growing resolve. "I finally caught a break."
He tapped the Growth Pill details briefly, scanning them, then shook his head.
"Not yet," he decided, crouching again, his fingers brushing Black's head once more. "You grow naturally first…"
His eyes lifted.
Coin balance: 1000 Store Coins.
Below it—
Coin Exchange.
Grayed out.
He tapped.
[Function Locked.]
[Coin exchange requires Store Binding. Please complete the Main Quest to unlock currency features.]
A slow breath left him.
"So that's next…"
He leaned back against the desk, arms resting loosely as he watched Black roll onto its back and yawn, completely at ease in a world it had just entered.
"Looks like…" he said quietly, a small smile forming again, steadier this time, rooted deeper than before—
"We're going to need a new shop."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"One that actually fits a summoner."