Overwhelmed by the strangeness of this situation and the sheer number of items around him, Leo unsciously drifted further into the mysterious shop. He went from one shelve to another, his eyes drinking in the sights even if Identify refused to work on anythiher the thin barrier stopped the skill, or something else was at work.

  This pce is gettier aer. He frowned, stopping right in front of a wide staircase leading to the upper floor. Someone made this building not only wider but also taller on the inside. How powerful do you have to be to do this?

  'I don't like this,' Nyx mumbled, tightening the shadows around his body.

  Leo grimaced. Yeah, me her. If not for the System's message, I would be running as fast away from here as I . Let's just check out what's on the first floor and the out. As fancy as this pce looks, I don't want to get trapped here.

  'As you wish.'

  Just as he pced his foot on the first step, a loud creak echoed through the building. He stiffened, snapping his head towards the abandoned marble shop ter and the door hidden behind it. It ened now, and the figure that slithered out froze the blood in his veins.

  What in the Void is this... Leo gulped as the tall entity stopped at the ter and seemed to stare right at him.

  Not that it possessed any eyes to even do that. Hell, it cked any other standard facial features. The thing was just an amalgamation of long and short tentacles that whirled all around, f a visage of a body that looked almost humanoid.

  "Oh my... A er. Finally," the creature spoke, its low and mase voice drawing out each word. "A fledging Akirian no less. My, my, how... curious."

  Instantly, Leo tensed, his tails slithering out of the cloak's cover even as his bdes were ready t into a. This was the first time someone aside from the Loraveler and Nikra mentioned Akirians. And so, despite already knowing the truth, this only firmed that the being in front of him didn't belong oh.

  ? | LVL: ?

  Of course... Nyx?

  'I got not...' The feliried to answer. Only to be cut off by the tentacle creature.

  "Calm down, child. I mean you and your little panion no harm. Violence is bad for business, after all," the being chuckled, though it sounded more like a growl. "I promise you that as long as you heed the message you read upoering this pce, you will leave satisfied."

  Leo swallowed, stepping off the stairs but not ing any closer to the ter. Even with the System's prote active, there was no reason to risk it any further.

  "Who are you?"

  "Ah, five me. It's so rare for me to go without ers for even a single light cycle that I fot my manners." The creature bowed. "I'm Naz'Tor of the Mert fa, and this is my humble shop. Everything you see here and more is for sale. That's if you have the necessary Ether, of course."

  Despite not having a face, Leo could easily tell that the creature was wearing the equivalent of a smirk. To be ho, he didn't know how to feel about that, but sidering that her Nyx nor his own instincts told him to run, he rexed his shoulders just a bit.

  "Leo Hale."

  "A former human then. And you're already an Akirian. Wonderful. Truly amazing," Naz'Tushed, but his unique voily made it sound creepy. The swirliacles definitely didn't help. "And your friend? You e out. I don't bite."

  He was about to warn Nyx against revealing herself, but the feline just dived out, the dark cloud going for the empty spot. Upon ref, she instantly bowed lightly to the shopkeeper.

  'Nyx,' she said as if aher than him could hear her.

  "Apex Shadohat a duo," Naz'Tor hummed. "It's a shame you 't talk out loud yet. Hopefully, this will ge with your evolution. I see the intelligence shining behind your eyes. Not to mention your bond... My, my. Earth has always been an intriguing pce, but this? This is a first. I doubt even my wife will believe me when I tell her."

  Leo and Nyx shared a quick look. That's got to be the cheeriest tentacle monster in the universe... I dare ao prove me wrong.

  'You really shouldn't tempt fate...'

  "Now, now. Stop standing there like a pair of Velxian statues. Approach. I'm sure you have questions. As my first ers on this Earth, I will answer most of them for free," Naz'Tor announced, a few of his tentacles stretg to the sides.

  He looked almost like a human with their arms open in wele. Only in this case, the one weling them was a creature full of long, dark tentacles that seemed ready tle anything that came too close.

  heless, Leo drew in a deep breath and sloroached the ter, Nyx trailing right behind. They still stopped a good few feet away, though. The mysterious shopkeeper was far from trustworthy.

  "You will answer everything?" He prodded, testing the waters. "Truthfully?"

  The tentacles fell, and the creature tilted the top of his body. "Within reason, of course. If you ask something I don't want to answer, I won't lie to you. It's poor business practid only drives ers away. Instead, I will present you with a price. If you agree to it, the information is yours, and the System will guaras legitimacy."

  I guess thanks to the job system, this might be possible... Ah, whatever. Why not?

  Shrugging, Leo decided on his first question or rather questions. "Then if you don't mind, how are you here? Are some of the Void Gates already active? Are we getting even more Voidlings oh soon?"

  "Excellent questions!" Naz'Tor beamed. "I will gdly ahose just to ease your fears."

  "You see, normally, until the System allows it, nobody ehe new universe right after the Outbreak. We, Merts I mean, are the exception to this rule. I 't go into details, but as long as we follow specific steps and limitations, the System doesn't mind us slipping in. So as you see, I'm just a harmless shopkeeper."

  Harmless, my ass. Leo almost scoffed, Identify's results fresh in his mind. Still, good to know.

  "What about the Gates? What will happen ohey activate?"

  The shop owsked, a few tentacles slitherih the ter. A momehey came back, dragging a small transparent crystal. Aentacle tapped the objece, and it pulsed brightly only to settle after a sed. Yet this time, there was a weak blue glow i.

  "The subject of Void Gates is a plicated matter. Many researchers study them to this day, trying to uncover more of their secrets," the shopkeeper expined. "For now, all you o know is that you have no reason to fear them. At least for quite some time." He pushed the crystal toward the end of the ter. "If you would like more information, I offer you this."

  Leo furrowed his brow, ing even closer. "What is it? Identify doesn't work."

  "It wouldn't. Not here," Naz'Tor nodded. "As for this little thing, it's a Neuron Shard. A natural crystal capable of st small amounts of information. This one, in particur, carries the basiformation package about the Gates. All you have to do is to crush it."

  Of course there is ahat transfer knowledge. Why am I even surprised? He shook his head lightly. "How I be sure you're not lying? For all I know, this could be some random glowing rock."

  "Good, good!" The mert excimed, looking as if he was about to burst from happiness. "rust words alone... Now for your warranty. Here you go, little Akirian."

  Trade offer detected. Do you wish to dispy details?

  Eyes widening, Leo didn’t wait long to answer.

  Aowledged. Dispying an offer from Naz'Tor. Trade type: Item for Ether. Terms: Uiable.

  Offered: Ownership of Neuron Shard taining basiformation about "Void Gates" (System Verified)

  Price: 750 Ether

  Do you accept this trade?

  How much?! That's more than half of a mutation. I mean, I pay it easily, but still. Leo looked back at the mert. "Is this prial? I doubt most survivors oh even have this much."

  Naz'Tor shook the top of his body. "Not quite. This is half of the regur price. If you accept, I have another offer ready for you. Ohat would be both of us. It's my wish to tinue our partnership iure."

  "So you are bribing me," he snorted.

  The tentacles performed the equivalent of a shrug. "Call it what you will, child. For me, it's business. Nothing less, nothing more... Now, your decision?"

  Leo sighed, turning to his right.

  Nyx?

  The feliilted her head. 'I see no reason to refuse for now. In the long run, this much Ether is nothing for us.'

  Yeah, my thoughts exactly... Alright then, System. Accept the trade.

  Chaos65