Ruby looked surprised. “You didn’t get the announcement?”

  “Nope.”

  “Huh. Maybe it was limited to people in town. Makes sense, I guess.”

  “Not yet. What are you talking about?”

  She flashed a smile. “I’ll tell you all about it, but first you have to tell me about your adventures last night. I know you did a lot or you wouldn’t have gotten 2 levels.”

  Steve swept into the tent. Thankfully Susan didn’t follow. I was happy she and Steve had found each other, but she wasn’t part of our team and some of the things we’d be discussing I wanted to keep private for now.

  “Two levels?” Steve exclaimed. “How did I not notice?”

  “You were a bit distracted.”

  “Oh, right. She definitely is distracting.” He paused and added more softly, “You don’t mind . . .”

  “Did I ever show any interest in Susan?”

  “Not really, but every time you saw her she threw herself at you, so you know, maybe you two were hooking up in secret?”

  “Nope. I’m happy for you two.”

  Ruby said, “Me too. Just try to keep the PDA down when you’re not in your tent.”

  “I’ll work on it,” Steve said, dropping into another chair. I tossed him a pastry from the platters I’d gotten from Sam. I knew his favorite was a little ball of heaven called a profiterole. Choux pastry, filled with custard, and topped with powdered sugar and melted chocolate. He saluted with it and I triggered Identify.

  “Steve McDonough. Baby human level 25. Team Jumanji. Class: HVAC Vigilante.”

  “Tell me about your class,” I said through a smile. It sounded perfect for the former plumber.

  “It’s a great fit, although I almost picked Tavern Bombardier. That one had a lot of good stuff, but focused too much on crafting. HVAC Vigilante is more fighting-focused. Boosts my elemental and archery skills.”

  He ran through his class benefits, and they did sound good. He’d already settled into a build using archery and the elements, and the class vastly improved his power.

  Class spells sounded great. Inferno added fire and heat abilities to his shots. Insurrection doubled explosive, heat, and burn effects to any Molotov cocktails he built using alcohol he mixed himself. And Robin Hood was a force multiplier that allowed him to make up to 2 copies per level of any arrow he fired. All copies would strike the same point, doubling damage with each impact.

  “Both of your classes sound amazing,” I said when he finished. “Glad I gave you your present, Steve. Ruby, here’s yours.” I pulled the beautiful full-length plum-colored hooded cloak I’d gotten from the Puppetmaster from my inventory and explained its properties.

  “Shroud of the Sovereign Will. Epic. The wearer of this cloak retains supreme control over their mind and body, making them impervious to external manipulation. Effect: Nullify external compulsions like mind control or lycanthropy. Boost innate body and mind enhancement abilities.”

  “Lucas, I love it,” Ruby breathed as she swept the cloak around her shoulders. The soft leather looked amazing on her.

  “It won’t interfere with your buffs from your base outfit?”

  She hesitated, eyes distant as she explored her menus. After a few seconds, she smiled. “Not if I keep the front of the cloak open.”

  I glanced up. “You realize that’s lame, right?”

  Cyrus chose not to respond.

  “That bow you gave me is incredible. Where did you get it?” Steve asked.

  “Bristleback.” I’d already told them about that crazy fight.

  Steve snapped a sloppy salute. “I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. You’re a good friend to have. Are you bringing gifts to everyone who got their class last night?”

  “I wish. I’m glad other people leveled up too, especially after this morning’s announcement.”

  Ruby paused her twirling, letting the cloak settle behind her. “That guy with the potato spell got his class too.”

  “Something more useful, I hope.”

  Steve laughed and Ruby spoke through her own smile. “Not really. He’s doubled down on his potato magic.”

  “Guess what class he got?” Steve interjected. “Tatermancer!”

  I groaned. Did the guy not realize this was real life? “Is that a thing?”

  “It is now,” Ruby said. “Some of the other new classes I’ve heard about are pretty unique too.”

  That didn’t actually surprise me, not after seeing some of the random powers people had used fighting the werewolves. I hoped they ended up with good builds, but maybe they hadn’t gotten much choice.

  We could permanent anything, but maybe once someone picked something oddball, their class choices got limited. In that case, following the path of the potato might have made more sense than any other option. I’d have to keep an eye out for other unique classes.

  “So tell us about your adventures last night,” Ruby prodded.

  “I’m thinking I should get Tomas and Jane first. I bet my lazy brother is still sleeping, though.”

  “Nope,” Steve said. “Spotted them when I was saying good-bye to Susan outside. They were heading for the store.”

  “What is the store?”

  Ruby exclaimed, “A system store! We got the announcement just before the big one you heard. It’s going to appear at the north edge of town near the pond.”

  “It’s probably already there,” Steve interjected. “It’s owned by the system, which is Cyrus, or the game, or the multiverse, or something.”

  Ruby shrugged. “Either way, apparently it’s like a trading hub and general store. We can sell loot, monster parts, and whatever we’ve picked up. And it has gear, potions, spells, and hopefully lots of stuff we can buy.”

  “With what?”

  “With mana crystals,” Steve grinned. “I’m up to 40 tier-5 crystals.”

  “I’ve got 75,” Ruby said smugly.

  “How?” Steve exclaimed.

  She shrugged, polishing her new cloak with one fingernail. “Trading.”

  “I’ve got a lot too.” That last crazy-upgraded divine loot box I’d gotten from Cyrus for defeating Bristleback and escaping the collapsing stage 1 had given me 10 tier-6 crystals. Six million mana crystals sounded like a lot, but I had no idea how much things would cost.

  Then I remembered a random item I’d gotten from that same loot box. I’d totally forgotten about it. I pulled the small black wooden plaque out of my inventory.

  “Tier-5 VIP access pass to the system store.”

  Steve whistled when I showed it to them. Ruby just jumped up and yanked me to my feet. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

  “I thought you wanted to hear about my adventure.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Ruby rolled her eyes and dragged me toward the door. “Tell us later. It’s time for some shopping therapy!”

  I had to laugh at this glimpse into a side of Ruby I’d never seen. Trailing us, Steve said, “Pay attention, Lucas. Girls with shopping addictions are expensive.”

  Ruby didn’t even glare, but marched across town so fast we had to jog to keep up. The sun wouldn’t rise above the tall eastern peaks for hours yet, but Cyrus’s booming announcement no doubt woke everyone, and the town was bustling.

  Even more shops than I remembered packed the central part of town, but few people were shopping, and most of the crafters scanned the crowds moving past with worried looks. It seemed most of the town were heading for the store too.

  So what would a system store mean to those with crafter classes? Sam couldn’t be the only one with a leveling system that required making sales. Was the system store really a boon, or another wrench in the works?

  I planned to shop with human crafters when I could, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t about to go check out the system store too. I didn’t want to waste half a day trying to get in, though. It looked like 300 people were already clustered around the small pond in front of that cliff that formed the northern boundary of town.

  The store was not what I expected. It turned out to be nothing but a tall, glowing white pylon that rose 50 feet into the clear morning sky.

  “That’s it?” Ruby asked with obvious disappointment as Identify triggered.

  “System Store. The first system-generated resource available to Earth contestants, the system store is a vital trading hub. Sell virtually anything you’ve collected, and purchase just about anything you might need to survive with the mana crystals you’ve saved.”

  “But I’m nearly out of mana crystals,” one woman who arrived behind us cried as she finished reading the description. Yikes. She looked about 40, with well styled brown hair and fancy medieval clothing.

  “How could you spend all your mana crystals?” asked a muscular fellow wearing a bright yellow jacket and a tall, floppy hat.

  She shrugged. “You know, at the tavern, with the crafters. A girl’s got to live.”

  I didn’t bother identifying her. I bet she was low leveled, and I doubted she was the only person who had burned through most of their mana crystals. Folks who hadn’t chosen Mystic Looter as one of their utility spells probably never got many crystals to begin with.

  “How do we use the store?” Ruby asked.

  As if in answer, huge glowing letters appeared above the pylon. “Do you wish to access the system store?”

  “Wait, don’t answer,” I told them. “Hold onto me.”

  Ruby took my hand in her warm one, while Steve clapped a hand to my shoulder. I pulled out my VIP pass, then mentally accepted the prompt to access the store. I willed my intent that Ruby and Steve join me.

  The world flashed, and abruptly the three of us stood in a long, plush room with mahogany-paneled walls, soft lighting, and comfortable seating scattered around. A high desk stood in front of the only door.

  Standing behind the desk, wearing a black tuxedo, was a lizard-like humanoid, complete with short snout and stubby tail. Its bald, round head and exposed skin was covered in small scales that shimmered with softly shifting hues of light. At the moment, the colors tended to shades of blue. Identify triggered immediately.

  “Sythrak. Krysanthimus level 62. All Krysanthimus are natural-born traders, known for their sharp intellect and meticulous record-keeping. They often run high-end stores that deal in magical artifacts and rare scrolls.”

  Sythrak spread his hands wide and spoke in a surprisingly clear, baritone with a hint of a South African accent. “Welcome, my friends. I am Sythrak, master trader. I will do my best to facilitate all of your shopping needs.”

  I exchanged a look with Ruby and Steve. He shrugged, but she beamed, squeezing my hand so hard I winced. She gave a little girly squeal of delight and rushed to the counter.

  “Hello, Sythrak. I’m Ruby. We are so happy to be here and can’t wait to see how shopping the store works.”

  Sythrak gave her another bow, but turned his reptilian gaze to me. “Sir, you are the bearer of the VIP pass. It is not unheard of for VIPs to bring an entourage. Do you wish for me to trade with the lady Ruby as your representative?”

  “Since this is our first visit, I think we’ll all have some things we wish to shop for. Both Ruby and Steve should be considered authorized agents of mine.”

  “Very good, sir. As a tier-5 VIP, you are assigned an exclusive representative. In this case, me. As such, I will do my utmost to assist you in accomplishing your goals. I take no commission on any of our transactions so can guarantee significantly improved prices compared to what shoppers with standard access receive.”

  Ruby looked so excited, she might just tackle Sythrak to get the shopping started. I placed a calming hand on her shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze.

  “How do you get paid then?” Steve asked.

  “My fee is covered by the system.”

  “Sounds good to me. Can you give us a quick rundown on the types of items available?”

  “Of course, sir. I can fetch for your consideration a vast quantity of goods from clothing, armaments, and weaponry to potions, scrolls, and spells, just to name some of the broadest categories. I can also offer significantly better rates for the sale of any goods you may wish to divest yourselves of than others will receive.”

  “I like having VIP friends,” Steve said.

  “I need a minute to prioritize my list.”

  “I don’t,” Ruby said immediately, gesturing down at her outfit. “I need an upgrade. These clothes provide a grand defense boost, but they’re not ideal. What have you got for base layers and armor with better benefits?”

  Sythrak scanned Ruby, his dark eyes flashing golden for a moment. He nodded. “Of course, my lady. Your class suggests you have chosen a support role, so perhaps more defense or boosts to class spells and abilities?”

  “Sounds great. And something comfortable that looks good.”

  Sythrak dipped his wide, reptilian head in a short bow. “I would never dream of suggesting anything that did not accentuate your natural beauty and grace.”

  “He’s good,” Steve commented.

  Sythrak waved his hand and several outfits appeared hanging in the air in front of Ruby. She beamed but said, “Can you bring in a few more options? I like to browse.”

  With another wave of his hand, half the room filled with clothing and armor, all hanging in the air, all perfectly sized for Ruby. Some looked straight out of fantasy movies, while other options were more medieval or more alien, with odd cuts and color patterns. With a look of great contentment, Ruby started working down the list, fingering fabric, holding blouses or pants to her, and talking about each item with Sythrak. Every pieced looked great.

  She eventually narrowed the list down to a few final selections. As she paced around them, she glanced over at me and Steve. “Thoughts?”

  Steve barked a laugh and took a step back, holding up his hands in a sign of surrender. “I didn’t learn much from my first marriage, but my ex-wife did prove I have zero taste in fashion. Not falling into that trap.”

  I shrugged. “Doesn’t hurt to share opinions, does it?”

  Steve gave me a pitying look. “Like a little lamb heading for slaughter. Nice knowing you, buddy.”

  Ruby crossed her arms and glared. “I’m not that bad.”

  Steve wandered away, whistling softly to himself, studying some nature scene artwork on the nearest wall.

  “Which is your favorite?” I asked when I approached.

  She actually snorted. “It doesn’t work that way. Sythrak, can I try these on to see how they look?”

  “Of course. Which one?”

  She pointed to a medieval looking outfit with green tunic, black trousers, and a cream-colored blouse. Sythrak waved a hand and for the first time I realized he only had 4 short, stubby fingers. The outfit in question flashed and then appeared on Ruby.

  “You look great.”

  “Do you think so?” She spun slowly, looking down at herself. I’d been right. I bet she could slip on a canvas sack and make it look like alluring lingerie.

  Sythrak said, “This is an excellent choice, my lady. Soft and comfortable, yet it offers 20% boost to defense and the Bastion ability, which triples defense when tending to another wounded player.”

  I whistled softly. “That’s impressive.”

  Ruby nodded, but didn’t look convinced. She cycled through the short list of items, and every one looked better on her than the last. They all offered great boosts to defense and at least one ability. They were all uncommon class, except for the last, which was rare.

  “How much for this one?” Ruby asked as she walked back and forth, getting a feel for the outfit.

  It made her look totally boss. Dark gray pants with black boots that rose almost to her knees. A cream-colored blouse, covered by a leather vest that looked a lot like a corset with ornate golden scrollwork up the bodice. Over it all came a short red jacket with more black scrollwork down the arms, and fine brown leather gloves.

  The outfit reminded me a lot of the one Kate Beckinsale wore in Van Helsing. Each piece offered defense boosts, with an additional set bonus that would protect her maybe even better than my Crash Test Dummy armored jacket. It also offered an upgraded version of that Bastion ability, plus the ability the self-adjust to fit any physical changes she might trigger with her battle bio morph spell.

  “You have excellent taste,” Sythrak said, his thin tongue flicking out as he spoke. “This is one of the best pieces available in the store right now.”

  “You don’t have legendary or epic-tiered items?”

  “Not yet. The best I can offer today is rare. Legendary items will become available in small quantities in 2 weeks, and epic-tiered items another 2 weeks after that.”

  “Great,” Steve said with abundant sarcasm. “Just a week too late to be of use to us.”

  “I apologize I cannot offer them yet, but I assure you this outfit is top quality, and as VIP guests you will save 30% over what anyone else would have to pay.”

  “How much?” Ruby repeated.

  “Don’t tell anyone else about the discounts we get,” Steve chimed in.

  Yeah. They’d either be ticked they got fleeced, or they’d be lining up with orders. I didn’t have time to play middle man.

  “Only two tier-6 mana crystals,” Sythrak said with a smile.

  Ruby gasped and Steve exclaimed, “Two million?”

  “Rare items do not come cheap,” Sythrak said calmly.

  “Do you have room to negotiate?”

  He gave me a toothy smile. “I am afraid not, sir. As I said, my job is to get you the very best prices. They would not be the best if I could get them lower.”

  Ruby looked torn as she walked around in her outfit. “This is perfect. It’s exactly what I need, but that’s a huge chunk of all my mana crystals.”

  I fought the urge to offer to help. I had the money, but I sensed she wouldn’t appreciate me sticking my nose into her shopping. After another moment, she nodded sharply. “Fine. I don’t need much else, and I won’t pass up the chance to get the perfect setup.”

  Sythrak smiled. “Very good, my lady. Excellent choice. The items come with a self-repair function and you will receive a complimentary sleep-wear packet that matches.”

  A box appeared in front of Ruby, glowing faintly silver. She peeked inside and smiled. “This will do nicely. Thank you.”

  “Aren’t you going to show us the naughty little nighties you just got?” Steve prodded.

  The box disappeared into her inventory. “You wish.”

  “Not as much as Lucas,” Steve said with a wink.

  “Hey, I didn’t say anything.”

  “Says the guy who timed his return for when Ruby was walking around in her night shirt.”

  “How . . . ?” both Ruby and I asked.

  Steve chuckled. “I wouldn’t be the annoying third wheel if I didn’t pick up on little things like timing.”

  “Moving on,” I said as Ruby transferred the money to Sythrak. “Let’s get back to shopping.”