The city wasn't quiet anymore. Whispers about a strange merchant—one who could heal wounds, trade monster cores for supplies, and never seemed to panic—were spreading like wildfire through every crumbling alley and broken window.
Kaito knew the clock was ticking.
Outside his building, the once-empty sidewalk now had a solid wooden kiosk. It wasn't much, but it had a roof, a table, and handmade signs: "Trade Cores," "Request Items," "Ask Questions." Ayame and Hiroshi had built it together in exchange for supplies.
Inside, Kaito was reorganizing his shelves. The System had just dropped something new.
[Shop Rank I Unlocked: More display slots, better daily item rotation. You can now name your shop. Also... the curtain stays. Mystery sells.]
Kaito shook his head with a grin. "Sure. Gotta keep the vibes."
He placed a dagger-shaped pendant on the top shelf. It didn't do anything special—just glowed faintly in the dark. But it looked expensive. That was enough.
He turned to the curtain, pulled it half open, then closed it again.
"Yep," he muttered. "Mystery works."
THE STREET IS SHIFTING
A small gang moved down the road—ten guys wearing mismatched armor and carrying baseball bats. They glanced at the kiosk but didn't stop.
Behind them, a few quiet figures lingered. A woman with a torn blanket. A little boy clutching a pale blue monster core.
Kaito stepped outside.
"Don't worry," he said. "I'm not charging for air. Come in if you're curious."
The woman walked in first, holding up the blanket.
"Would you take this?"
Kaito studied it. "Yours?"
"It was my daughter's. Before..."
He nodded and gave her a protein bar and two antiseptic wipes.
She stared at the items, blinking like they were gold. "Thank you."
The boy stepped up next and handed over the core, silent.
"You're brave," Kaito said, accepting it gently. "Who's this for?"
"My mom. She's tired. She hasn't eaten."
Kaito handed over two meal bars.
The boy nodded and ran off. No thanks—just a salute.
[Meri: Emotional trades detected. Shop Reputation increased. Current Reputation: 27.] [Meri: At 100, expect rare visitors. Some may not be fully... human.]
Kaito frowned. "That's not ominous at all."
[Meri: It's business, boss. Risk is baked in.]
Word of the kiosk spread like fire. By midday, over forty people had come by.
Some brought monster cores. Some brought stories. Others tried to push to the front.
"Back off!" a man shouted. "I was here first!"
"No way! My sister's dying, let me through!"
Kaito stepped outside again and held up his hands.
"This isn't a stampede," he said. "Line up. Trade what you have. If you don't have anything, wait until someone does. I can't fix everything."
Grumbling. But order formed.
Ayame helped sort people. Kaito set up a timer so each person only had two minutes inside.
It was crude, but it worked
Near sundown, a man came in cradling a bruised young boy.
"I heard," the man said, eyes heavy. "You take monster cores?"
Kaito nodded. "Always."
The man hesitated. Then reached into his coat and placed a muddy watch on the table.
"It's not a core. But it's... it's my brother's. He was a diver. Found it in a beast's belly."
Kaito held it gently.
[Meri: Rare item. Origin unclear. Potential world-link key.]
"You need medicine?"
The man nodded. "Antibiotics. Bandages. Anything."
Kaito packed the supplies. Handed them over.
The man nearly collapsed. "Thank you."
The kid smiled for the first time.
[Meri: Reputation +5. Reputation total: 32.]
Ayame stood at the door.
"Kaito... how long are we doing this?"
"What do you mean?"
"People are whispering. Some say you're not human. That you don't sleep. That you've got a devil contract."
Kaito paused. "Let them think whatever they want. As long as they follow the rules."
"You sure?"
"I'd rather they fear the unknown than try to own it."
Later that night, someone approached the shop. Alone.
Black coat. Pale skin. Clean boots. No dirt. No scent.
Ayame watched her through the window.
"She's not right," she whispered.
Kaito nodded and stepped out.
"You need something?"
The woman looked at the kiosk. "What's your rate?"
"Depends. What do you have?"
She placed a black crystal on the table. It pulsed.
"Got this off something that screamed in four different voices."
[Meri: Unknown Core. Highly unstable. Possibly linked to spatial tears. Do not use. High market value.]
Kaito swallowed. "You want something for it?"
"Not now."
She turned and left. Her coat didn't even move in the wind.
[Meri: That wasn't a normal customer. Be careful.]
"I figured."
At midnight, the kiosk glowed from the new lanterns kaito installed.
Ayame sat beside Kaito, sipping water.
"You're changing things," she said. "People are starting to believe in something again."
"I'm not a leader."
"You're a center. A stable point. That's enough."
Kaito didn't answer. He watched the stars and thought.
[New Quest: Establish a Zone of Influence. Create two satellite outposts or shop-linked shelters within 5 days. Reward: Recruitment Board unlocked.]
He read it twice.
"What do you think?" Ayame asked.
"I think Meri just gave me homework."
[Meri: Expansion plan, boss. Time to franchise.]
"I'm not franchising the apocalypse."
[Meri: We'll work on the branding.]
Kaito looked at the quiet street. At the people asleep against the wall. At the silence between howls.
"Alright," he said. "Let's build something that survives."