The huge Hyperion Gestation Chamber opened, and mist came billowing out. Hermes stepped from it in a body that was no longer human.
He stood over twelve feet tall, broad through the chest and hard in every line, with great crescent horns that gave him a regal, draconic silhouette. Blue, violet, and silver light moved constantly beneath his hide, as though stars had been trapped under the skin.
Symmetrical emeraldine growths, almost plantlike in form, rose from his shoulders and trailed along his forearms. His face had lost all mortal softness. Smooth and featureless, it looked less like living flesh and more like a sacred helm.
Hermes found no fault in it.
"Where did all the gore go?" Hermes asked.
"Master, I stored it away for later use," Gabby said.
Hermes gave a small nod. He opened and closed his hands, slow at first, then firmer, testing the pull of strength through his new frame.
The motion felt strange, not wrong, but too easy, as if this body had been made for violence long before he ever stepped into it.
A few quick steps became a brisk walk. Another second, and he was running.
The air boomed where he had stood. He moved faster than a car, faster by far. Then he leapt and rose a few hundred meters with insulting ease.
"Worth every fucking penny," Hermes exclaimed.
Even now, despite his excitement, his voice came out too pleasant, too smooth, another clear gift of his new body.
After enjoying himself for a few moments longer, Hermes shoved the thrill aside and forced his mind back toward what truly mattered.
[STATUS WINDOW]
[Username: Assign now?]
[Age:0] [Level: 1]
[Race: Register species now?]
[Class: (Rank-F) Trash Peddler]
[Constitution Rating: 49.99]
[Strength: 50]
[Agility: 50]
[Dexterity: 50]
[Reflex: 50]
[Tenacity: 49.99]
[Intelligence Rating: 49.99]
[Processing speed: 50]
[Comprehension: 49.99]
[Analytical Logic: 49.99]
[Internal Energy Rating: 50]
[Qi: 50]
[Mana: 50]
[Elemental: 50]
[Divine: 50]
[Cosmic: 50]
[Eldritch: 50]
[Karmic Rating: 83.25]
[Luck: 333]
[Faith: 0]
[Fame: 0]
[Enmity: 0]
[Peddler Skills]
[Summon Peddling Tool]
[Make a Loan]
[Sell Personal Assets]
Something was wrong, though Hermes knew at once the fault was not the system. The number on his status still read age zero.
"Gabby, what does an age of zero mean? Does it mean this body is still an infant of this species?" Hermes asked.
"Yes, Master," Gabby said. "You are a literal newborn of your current species. I did not accelerate the growth of your cells. Have I done it wrongly?"
Hermes studied her for a moment. Gabby always chose the path she believed would benefit him most, yet the reason behind this choice still escaped him.
"Explain it to me," he said.
Gabby projected a holographic chart before Hermes, its familiar shape stirring memories of Earth.
"Master, here is the projected trajectory," Gabby said.
The difference was too great to ignore. More than twentyfold if he merely went about his days. Fiftyfold if he worked within optimal parameters. A hundredfold if every need was met at peak efficiency. All of it measured against the path he would have taken in an adult form.
"Gabby, one more thing. Should I buy some cultivation or mana meditation techniques?" he asked. "It feels wasteful not to start, especially when the chart you showed me advised it."
Gabby answered without delay, though her voice was gentler than usual. "Master, I would not advise it if efficiency is your goal. Those methods usually increase only one particular type of energy. Since you have gained all six types, the better path would be for me to deduce a basic method that allows all of them to grow in a balanced way."
She paused, and for the first time there was something strained in her expression.
"That task will take time," she continued. "Even though I can perform higher-order quantum computations, Hyperion still lacks enough data on your current species for me to create such a method immediately. It may take as little as two weeks, or as long as a month."
"I also do not have the confidence to hasten the process by testing it on you, since unknown side effects may arise. For now, I would advise taking the natural route and constantly absorbing liquids infused with those energies. I apologize for my incompetence."
Her head lowered, shame settling over her like a weight she could not quite hide.
Hermes reached out and patted the angel lightly on the shoulder.
"You're doing fine," he said. "I understand. Next time, I don't want you apologizing for impossible things. Just give me a detailed account of what's going on."
For now, what Hermes wanted to do was ride on one of the largest business opportunities he currently have. He exited the status window and looked at the very timer ticking.
[Next Event – 05:11:03:01]
From the survival guide Hermes had studied, first did not mean easiest. If anything, every event rewrote the planet's survival mechanics, and that held true for every series.
Still, there was one thing Hermes was certain of. From what he had seen in the Interspecies World Chat, most participants were already starving, desperate, or half-dead. That was the window he intended to seize. If he offered timely relief before the event arrived, he could carve out a name for himself while others were still reeling.
From there, Hermes meant to turn that first foothold into a climb, not merely as a participant, but as one of the hands pulling the strings in this game of worlds. Before any of that, however, he needed to wring every coin he could from the moment.
"Gabby, did you clean that properly?" Hermes asked, pointing at the Hyperion Gestation Chamber.
"Yes, Master. I made sure it is as good as new," Gabby said.
Hermes returned to the Hyperion page and pressed the option to return it. The gestation chamber vanished at once.
[Assessing returned goods...]
[Refunded] [Hyperion Gestation Chamber] [17,500 CC]
Hermes was relieved to find that the same seven day policy applied here as well.
[Balance: 80,297 Cosmic Coins]
Hermes began another round of purchases, this time for his own needs and for the peddling tool he meant to build.
[Purchased] [Xinn Tiny Artificial Spirit Spring] [5000 CC]
[Details: Produces spiritually infused water and low-grade spirit stones at sparse intervals.]
[Purchased] [Mags & Hex Tiny Artificial Arcane Spring] [5000 CC]
[Details: Produces mana-infused water and low-grade mana stones at sparse intervals.]
[Purchased] [Badgers Tiny Elemental Spring] [5000 CC]
[Details: Draws in innate elements and turns them into elemental water, while producing random elemental stones at sparse intervals.]
[Purchased] [Titan Tiny Artificial Divine Spring] [5000 CC]
[Details: Produces water touched by faint specks of divinity and low-grade luminous stones at sparse intervals.]
[Purchased] [Hyperion Tiny Star Constellation Well] [5000 CC]
[Details: By basking in starlight, the well produces star essence liquid and forms starlight ore at sparse intervals.]
[Purchased] [Xenos Tiny Pool of Anomalies] [5000 CC]
[Details: Draws tar of nihility from the surrounding area. It may spawn small anomalous creatures, whether hostile or peaceful, and is not advised for those with low luck traits or beings marked by misfortune.]
[Purchased] [Scavz Solar Air Well] [1000 CC]
[Details: Draws moisture from the air, then runs it through material and anti-biological filtration. Comes with a free thousand-gallon tank. Free replacement for non-combat incidents.]
Based on Gabby's chart, he only needed to consume fifty percent of each spring himself. Anything beyond that would only lead to oversaturation, and oversaturation offered no further benefit.
That was the exact reason he had bought the Scavz Solar Air Well.
If he could not drink the surplus himself, then he might as well dilute it, package it well, and sell it.
With that settled, Hermes began another round of purchases.
[Purchased] [Mags & Hex Sky Fielder II] [18,000 CC]
[Details: A one-hectare floating platform that can be moved with mana fuel, mana stones, monster cores, or elemental crystals. Guaranteed to remain stable even in strong air currents.]
[Purchased] [Atlas Solaris Barrier] [2,000 CC]
[Details: A one-hectare invisible barrier roof that shields against the elements and runs on solar power.]
[Purchased] [Hyperion Crafting Table] [5,000 CC]
[Details: Insert blueprints along with raw materials to obtain items. It can only create items weighing no more than 100 kilograms. This is a children's learning toy. Spend 500,000 CC on Hyperion products to unlock this item.]
[Purchased] [Hyperion Crafting Table Templates] [5,000 CC]
[Details: A set of 100,000 blueprints, evenly divided among technology, magic, and cultivation. It also includes 250,000 blank blueprints for personal use. Your child may even stumble into new discoveries and duplicate blueprints by accident. Spend 500,000 CC on Hyperion products to unlock this item.]
[Purchased x50] [Mags & Hex Basic Healing Potion Raw Materials] [5000 CC]
[Purchased] [Mags & Hex Mana Fuel For Platforms and Mana Ships] [500 CC]
[Purchased] [Hyperion Beacons and Lights Resource Package] [100 CC]
[Purchased] [Scavz Lasting All-Terrain Paint Resource Package] [100 CC]
[Purchased] [Scavz 25 Tons Metallic Resource Package] [1000 CC]
[Purchased] [Scavz 25 Tons Food Resource Package] [1000 CC]
[Purchased] [Scavz 25 Protective Textile Resource Package] [1000 CC]
[Purchased] [Scavz 5 Ton High Durability Glass] [250 CC]
[Balance: 10,347 Cosmic Coins]
Hermes chose the Resource Packages for a reason. It was true they cost more than simply buying wheat outright, but resource packages worked differently.
They were prepaid consumables that let him order from ten thousand possible materials, and that fit his first standard perfectly.
He was not here to make mediocre goods. He was new, and what he needed first was a name.
For a businessman, a name was the core of everything. Hermes wanted nothing to do with words like so-so, meh, or it's fine.
Even Colonel Sanders had used eleven herbs and spices to make his chicken memorable.
Hermes wanted customers cursing his name after he left, furious at how good his wares had been. He wanted them begging for another bite, plotting petty little schemes just to squeeze one more purchase out of him.
With Gabby as his walking R&D, and with no anti-monopoly laws here to restrain him, Hermes intended to bleed every race dry. Humans included.
He then listed everything that needed doing. Food. Tools. Weapons. Protective Equipment. And beyond those, two special products.
The first was energized water, watered down from the excess drawn from his personal wells and springs.
The second was healing water, born from magical potions diluted just enough to stretch the supply while still retaining enough potency to mend injuries.
Once the list was complete, Gabby took it and began operating the Hyperion Crafting Table. This was not genetic engineering, nor some grand deduction of space and time. It was simple production, clean and direct.
The work did not take long.
Soon the first batches were finished, and Hermes turned his attention to the part he enjoyed most. Naming them.
The regular rations came first, each one enriched with safe chemicals and gut-friendly preservatives that kept mold and flies well away. Then, while arranging everything through his peddling tool, Hermes discovered an unexpected feature. He could make names appear above each item type for easier sorting. The surprise pleased him more than it should have, and naturally, he put it to use at once.
[Regular Rations]
[Devil's Disgustingly Good Bread]
[Devil's Annoyingly Juicy Roasts]
[Devil's Angrily Sustaining Candies]
[Devil's Indignantly Savory Jam]
[Devil's Clean Plain Water]
Next came the tools and weapons.
[Offensive Items Inventory]
[Sword]
[Devil's Primary Sword]
[Devil's Advanced Sword]
[Devil's Deluxe Sword]
[Spear]
[Devil's Primary Spear]
[Devil's Advanced Spear]
[Devil's Deluxe Spear]
[Axe]
[Devil's Primary Axe]
[Devil's Advanced Axe]
[Devil's Deluxe Axe]
…
[Defensive Items Inventory]
[Combat Gear]
[Devil's Optimal Combat Gear]
[Devil's Heavy-Duty Combat Gear]
[Devil's Maximum Protection Combat Gear]
[Shields]
[Devil's Primary Kite Shield]
[Devil's Advanced Kite Shield]
[Devil's Deluxe Kite Shield]
…
[Utility Items Inventory]
[Shovel]
[Devil's Primary Shovel]
[Devil's Advanced Shovel]
[Devil's Deluxe Shovel]
[Pickaxe]
[Devil's Primary Pickaxe]
[Devil's Advanced Pickaxe]
[Devil's Deluxe Pickaxe]
[Hoe]
[Devil's Primary Hoe]
[Devil's Advanced Hoe]
[Devil's Deluxe Hoe]
Then came the specials. This time, each one was bottled in a fancy container that caught and reflected the light, the sort of bottle a buyer might keep and reuse later as a proper water vessel.
If inspected, each item also came with its own flavor text, because Hermes knew these were the sort of products that needed a little explaining.
[Specialized Power Drinks]
[Devil's Qi Green Tea]
[Details: Water infused with traces of spiritual qi.]
[Devil's Mana Blueberry]
[Details: Water infused with traces of mana.]
[Devil's Elemental Mixed Fruits]
[Details: Water infused with traces of multiple elements.]
[Devil's Holy Lemon]
[Details: Water infused with traces of divinity.]
[Devil's Cosmic Cocktail]
[Details: Water infused with traces of cosmic power.]
[Devil's Eldritch Licorice]
[Details: Not advised for beings without eldritch energy.]
Last came the potions. The paler the red, the weaker the concentration of the original potion within.
[Healing Drinks]
[Devil's Relieving Potion]
[Details: Can help injuries heal up to five times faster when taken in sips at two-hour intervals. Effectiveness on deep wounds may vary.]
[Devil's Fast Acting Potion]
[Details: Can be applied directly to wounds to help close them. No guarantee of healing fatal injuries.]
[Devil's Elite Healing]
[Details: Can mend injuries in mere minutes. Best for emergency situations. Organ damages are not promised to heal.]
The effects were not a lie. Gabby's calculations confirmed that they worked exactly as described.
Then came the floating platform.
Gabby made quick work of the one-hectare floating platform. She trimmed its edges first and reduced the overall size, then coated the structure in an extremely hardy alloy while carefully preserving its magical floating components.
After that, she raised a reinforced pillar at the center, nearly twenty meters wide and fifty meters high, where she would remain while Hermes conducted his trade. She fitted it with reflective glass and broad shelving, turning it into the heart of the platform, a place where his wares could be displayed in full view.
It was not the most efficient design, but Hermes had chosen it for a reason.
To retrieve the goods, Hermes would have to move around the pillar himself, and that meant giving up his view of whatever waited on the other side.
It made the stall feel slightly unattended, as if something had been left just out of sight.
That tempted people. It also made them wary. Hermes wanted both reactions. He wanted them curious enough to approach, and cautious enough to remember him.
Once the lights were in place, Hermes made one final purchase, one that would let his customers pay even if they carried nothing on them. It was a masterpiece of a contract, one he had discovered a loophole on his own.
[Purchased x10000]
[Worlds Collide Series Betting Contracts (Exclusive to Participants Only)] [10000 CC]
[Balance: 347 Cosmic Coins]