I jolted upright in bed, gasping for air like a drowning man breaking the surface of turbulent waters. My chest heaved with each ragged breath, sweat coating my skin in a cold, clammy sheen that made the rough linen sheets cling uncomfortably to my body. My heart hammered against my ribs with such force that I could hear the blood rushing in my ears, a thunderous whoosh that drowned out everything else for several disorienting moments.
'Where... where am I?'
The thought came unbidden, accompanied by a wave of vertigo that made the room spin. I pressed my palms against my temples, trying to steady myself, trying to make sense of the chaos swirling inside my skull. Something was wrong. Everything was wrong. The bed beneath me felt foreign, the air smelled different, and even my own hands looked somehow unfamiliar as I stared at them in the dim light filtering through threadbare curtains.
The room around me was small, cramped even, with walls made of rough-hewn timber that had seen better days. Cracks ran through the plaster like spiderwebs, and in one corner, I could see where moisture had darkened the wood, suggesting a leak that had never been properly repaired. A single wooden chair sat beside a battered dresser, and on top of it rested a chipped washbasin that had probably been white once, though now it bore the yellowish tinge of age and hard water. This was not a place of wealth or comfort. This was the room of someone who had fallen on hard times, someone barely scraping by.
'But whose room is it? Why am I here?'
I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my bare feet touching the cold wooden floorboards. The sensation sent another jolt through my system, but this time it came with something else. Something that made my breath catch in my throat for an entirely different reason.
Memories.
They crashed into my consciousness like a tidal wave, overwhelming and relentless. But these were not my memories. At least, I did not think they were mine. How could they be when I could not even remember who I was? It was as though someone had reached into my mind and planted an entire lifetime of experiences that belonged to another person, yet somehow they felt real, vivid, and undeniable.
I saw a grand estate, not the crumbling structure I now found myself in, but a sprawling manor with marble columns and manicured gardens that stretched as far as the eye could see. I saw a boy, young and full of life, running through those gardens while servants bowed respectfully as he passed. The Meyer estate. The name echoed through these borrowed memories with a weight of pride and legacy. A merchant family that had built their fortune over generations, their caravans traveling to distant lands, their warehouses filled with exotic goods that commanded premium prices in the markets of the capital.
But that glory was gone now.
The memories shifted, darkening like storm clouds rolling across a summer sky. I saw the same boy, older now, perhaps eighteen years of age, standing beside his father as they prepared for what should have been a routine trade expedition. There was excitement in the air, the promise of profit and adventure. His father, a broad-shouldered man with a merchant's shrewd eyes and a warrior's bearing, had clapped him on the shoulder and promised this would be the trip that restored their family's dwindling fortunes.
They never came back.
The memory of that day was fragmented, broken like shattered glass. There were flashes of bandits, dozens of them, surrounding the caravan on a lonely mountain pass. The clash of steel, the screams of men and horses, the acrid smell of blood mixing with the dust kicked up by desperate fighting. His father had fought like a lion, taking down three attackers before a blade found the gap in his armor. His mother, who had insisted on accompanying them despite his father's protests, had tried to run, only to be cut down before she had taken ten steps.
The boy had survived only because the family's head guard, a grizzled veteran who had served the Meyers for thirty years, had thrown him onto a horse and slapped the animal's rump hard enough to send it galloping away at full speed. The last thing the boy had seen was the old guard standing his ground, buying time with his life so that at least one Meyer might escape.
Alister Meyer. That was the boy's name. That was my name now, I realized with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I pressed my hands against my face, trying to process this impossible situation. The memories continued to flow, showing me what had happened after the massacre. Alister had made it back to the estate, barely conscious and delirious with grief and shock. His younger sister, Lily, only fourteen years old, had found him collapsed at the gates. Together, they had learned the full extent of the disaster. The bandits had not just killed their family; they had also stolen everything of value from the caravan. Goods worth thousands of gold coins, rare silks and spices that represented the family's last desperate gamble to reclaim their former status, all gone in a single bloody afternoon.
What little remained of the Meyer fortune had been consumed by debts. Creditors had circled like vultures, demanding payment, seizing assets, stripping away everything that was not nailed down. The grand manor had been sold to cover obligations. The servants had been dismissed, unable to be paid. Even the family's coat of arms, proudly displayed above the main entrance for three generations, had been taken down and sold to a collector who specialized in the heraldry of fallen houses.
Now, all that remained was this small house on the outskirts of the merchant quarter, barely large enough for two people, and even this would soon be taken if they could not pay the rent. Alister had locked himself away in this room for months, consumed by grief and survivor's guilt, barely eating, barely sleeping, tormented by nightmares of that day on the mountain pass. Lily had done her best to care for him, to keep them fed with what little money they had left, but she was just a child herself, alone and frightened in a world that had suddenly become cruel and unforgiving.
And then Alister had fallen ill. A fever had gripped him, burning through his weakened body like wildfire. For three days and nights, he had teetered on the edge of death while Lily had wept and prayed to every god she could name, begging them not to take away the only family she had left.
The fever had broken this morning.
But the person who woke up was not quite the same Alister Meyer who had closed his eyes.
'I am not him,' I thought, the realization settling over me like a heavy cloak. 'I have his memories, his body, but I am someone else. Someone from... where?'
I tried to grasp at my own past, my own identity, but it was like trying to hold water in cupped hands. There were impressions, vague and indistinct. A sense of having lived before, of having known a different world, but the details were gone. Scrubbed away as thoroughly as chalk from a slate. I could not remember my name, my face, my family, or anything concrete about who I had been. Only a strange familiarity with concepts that seemed alien to this world. Words like electricity, internet, smartphones danced at the edges of my awareness, though in this medieval setting, they meant nothing.
'Focus,' I told myself, taking a deep breath. 'Whatever happened, whoever I was, that person is gone. I am Alister Meyer now. And Lily needs me. She needs her brother to come back to her, to be strong when everything has fallen apart.'
Just as I steadied myself with that thought, just as I began to accept this impossible reality, a sound cut through the quiet of the room.
Ding.
It was unlike anything I had ever heard, yet somehow familiar. A crystalline chime that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, resonating not in my ears but directly in my mind. I froze, every muscle tensing as I looked around the empty room, searching for the source of the sound.
Then the message appeared.
It was not written on paper or carved into the air. It simply existed in my field of vision, glowing with a soft blue light that had no physical source. Translucent letters floated before my eyes, and no matter where I turned my head, they remained perfectly centered, perfectly visible.
[Welcome, Alister Meyer. The Merchant System has been successfully awakened.]
'What... what is this?'
My voice came out as a hoarse whisper, barely audible even to my own ears. I waved my hand through the air where the words hovered, but my fingers passed through them as though they were made of smoke. They were not illusions, at least not in the traditional sense. They were something else entirely. Something that existed only for me, visible only to my eyes.
[I am the Merchant System, a tool designed to help you rebuild what has been lost and achieve greatness beyond your wildest dreams. Through commerce, trade, and the accumulation of wealth, you shall gain power that transcends the ordinary limits of this world.]
The words scrolled smoothly across my vision, appearing at a pace that suggested intelligence, consciousness even. This was not some static interface or lifeless menu. Whatever this system was, it seemed capable of responding, of communicating with intent and personality.
'How... how is this possible?' I thought, not even sure if the system could hear my internal voice. 'Magic? Divine intervention? Am I going mad?'
[Your skepticism is understandable, Alister. To answer your questions in order: this is neither traditional magic nor madness. As for divine intervention, that is closer to the truth, though not in the way you might imagine. I am a gift, bestowed upon you at the moment of your awakening in this body. Whether by fate, chance, or design, you have been given a second opportunity at life, and with it, the means to succeed where others would fail.]
A shiver ran down my spine. The system had responded to my thoughts. It could hear me, understand me, engage with me in what amounted to a conversation. This was far more sophisticated than anything I could have imagined.
'If you can truly help me rebuild my family, then I need to understand how you work. What do you do, exactly? What are these coins you mentioned?'
[An excellent question, and one that shows wisdom. Too many would simply grab at power without understanding it. Very well, let me explain the fundamental mechanics of our partnership.]
The message lingered for a moment before being replaced by new text that organized itself into clear sections, like a book opening before my eyes.
[The Merchant System operates on a simple principle: wealth equals power. In this world, currency takes the form of copper, bronze, silver, gold, and platinum coins. Through your activities as a merchant—buying, selling, trading, negotiating—you will accumulate these coins. Each coin type corresponds to a different tier of reward.]
[When you accumulate enough coins to reach a threshold, you will be granted a reward appropriate to that tier. The thresholds follow a progressive pattern, each one requiring fifty percent more than the previous threshold of the same tier, rounded up. For example, your first copper threshold requires one copper coin. Your second copper threshold requires two copper coins. Your third requires four. Your fourth requires eight. The pattern continues exponentially.]
I nodded slowly, trying to absorb the information. It reminded me of something from those fragmented memories, concepts like leveling systems or progression mechanics in games. The familiarity made it easier to grasp, even as the reality of it remained surreal.
'And what exactly do these thresholds give me?'
[Copper coins, when accumulated to reach thresholds, grant random attribute points. These will enhance your physical and mental capabilities in ways appropriate to your needs at the time. You may become stronger, faster, smarter, more charismatic, or more resilient. The randomness ensures balanced growth across all areas rather than allowing you to neglect important aspects of your development.]
[Bronze coins grant skill points. These are more focused than attribute points, allowing you to improve specific abilities you already possess or to develop new skills through practice and application. Think of them as the difference between raw talent and refined expertise. Skill points accelerate learning and mastery in ways that would seem impossible to outside observers.]
[Silver coins grant complete skills. These are fully formed abilities that you will instantly master, as though you had spent years perfecting them. They can be anything from swordsmanship to accounting, from languages to crafts. Each silver threshold gives you immediate expertise in an entire field of knowledge or practice.]
[Gold coins grant unique skills. These are extraordinary abilities that transcend normal human limitations. They might give you supernatural senses, allow you to manipulate elements, grant you perfect memory, or bestow other advantages that border on the magical. These are capabilities that cannot be learned through normal means, no matter how much time or talent someone possesses.]
[Platinum coins grant ultimate skills. These are powers that reshape reality itself, abilities that would make you the equal of legends and myths. They are rare, precious, and transformative in ways that are difficult to predict. An ultimate skill can change the fundamental nature of who you are and what you are capable of.]
My mind reeled from the possibilities. If even half of what the system claimed was true, then I held the potential for godlike power within my grasp. But there had to be a catch. There was always a catch.
'This seems too good to be true. What is the price? What do I sacrifice for this power?'
[A wise question, and one that speaks well of your character. The answer may surprise you: there is no hidden cost, no corruption, no sacrifice of your soul or humanity. The only price is effort. You must work, trade, build, and succeed as a merchant. The coins you earn through legitimate commerce are what fuel your growth.]
[However, there are restrictions. Stolen coins turn to ash in your hands and provide no benefit. Coins received as charity or gifts do not count toward thresholds. Only coins earned through your own skill, negotiation, and business acumen will activate the system's rewards. This ensures you cannot simply rob your way to power or manipulate others into funding your growth. You must provide genuine value and make shrewd deals.]
That made sense in a strange way. It was a system designed to reward entrepreneurship and legitimate success, not theft or manipulation. I would have to actually become a skilled merchant to benefit from it.
'You mentioned something about a multiplier bonus. What does that mean?'
[Ah yes, the ten times multiplicative factor. This is where fortune intersects with your efforts. Each time you reach a threshold, there is a possibility—not a certainty—that the reward will be multiplied by a factor of ten. When this occurs at silver tier or above, you will be given a choice: keep the multiplied reward as is, or convert it to a single reward from the next tier up.]
[For example, if you reach a silver threshold and the bonus activates, you could choose to receive ten complete skills, or you could convert those ten complete skills into one gold tier unique skill. The choice is always yours to make based on your needs and strategy. Copper and bronze tier rewards, however, cannot be converted. If the multiplier activates at those tiers, you simply receive the enhanced amount.]
The system paused, and I could almost sense anticipation in the way the text hovered before me.
[As it happens, your awakening has triggered something extraordinary. I am about to deposit starting coins into your inventory: one copper, one bronze, one silver, and one gold coin. These are gifts to help you begin your journey. And fortune smiles upon you today, Alister Meyer, because the ten times bonus has activated for all four deposits.]
My breath caught in my throat. 'All four? What does that mean?'
[It means that right now, in this moment, you have the opportunity to gain power that might have taken months or even years to accumulate through normal means. But before we process these rewards, you must understand what you are choosing. This is not a decision to be made lightly. Let me explain each choice you will face.]
The system was right. If I was going to accept this power, I needed to do so with full understanding of what I was getting into. I sat back down on the edge of the bed, forcing myself to breathe slowly, to think clearly despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins.
'Tell me everything. I want to understand completely before making any decisions.'
[Very well. Let us go through each tier carefully.]
[For copper tier: you have reached the first threshold with one copper coin. The base reward would be one random attribute point. With the ten times multiplier active, you will receive ten random attribute points instead. These cannot be converted to a higher tier. The points will be distributed randomly across your attributes—strength, agility, constitution, intelligence, wisdom, and charisma—in a way that benefits your overall development.]
[For bronze tier: you have reached the first threshold with one bronze coin. The base reward would be one skill point. With the multiplier, you will receive ten skill points. These also cannot be converted. The skill points will be added to your available pool, and you can allocate them to any skill you wish to improve or learn.]
[For silver tier: you have reached the first threshold with one silver coin. The base reward would be one complete skill. With the multiplier, you will have ten complete skills. Here is where you face your first real choice: accept the ten complete skills, gaining instant mastery in ten different areas, or convert them to one gold tier unique skill.]
[For gold tier: you have reached the first threshold with one gold coin. The base reward would be one unique skill. With the multiplier, you will have ten unique skills. Again, you must choose: keep all ten unique skills, or convert them to one platinum tier ultimate skill.]
[The system will select skills based on careful analysis of your circumstances, personality, goals, and needs. The skills you receive will always be appropriate and useful, though they may surprise you. You will not receive skills for underwater breathing if you live in a desert, but you might be surprised by how the system interprets what will serve you best.]
I sat there for a long moment, processing everything. The decisions I made in the next few minutes would shape my entire future. Ten complete skills would make me incredibly versatile, a master in multiple fields. But a single gold tier unique skill might give me an edge that no one else could replicate. Similarly, ten unique skills would make me extraordinarily powerful, but an ultimate skill would place me in a category all my own.
'Quality versus quantity,' I thought. 'In my fragmented memories of that other world, I remember a principle: specialization often beats generalization at the highest levels. One master beats ten apprentices. One legendary weapon beats ten ordinary ones.'
I made my decision.
'For the silver tier choice, I want to convert to one gold tier skill. And for the gold tier choice, I want to convert to one platinum tier ultimate skill.'
[Are you certain? These choices cannot be undone once confirmed.]
'I am certain. If I am going to rebuild my family from nothing, I need advantages that others cannot replicate. Quality over quantity.'
[A bold choice, and one I believe you will not regret. Very well. Let us begin the transformation. I will process each tier in sequence so you can adjust to the changes gradually. Prepare yourself, Alister Meyer. Your new life begins now.]
[Processing copper tier threshold...]
[Depositing one copper coin into inventory...]
[First copper threshold reached.]
[Ten times multiplier active.]
[Distributing ten random attribute points...]
The messages appeared in rapid succession, and then I felt it.
Thump.
[Strength: +3]
My muscles suddenly felt denser, stronger. I watched in fascination as my arms, which had been thin and wasted from months of illness, seemed to fill out slightly. Not dramatically, but noticeably. I flexed my fingers and felt power there that had not existed moments before. I knew, instinctively, that I could lift things that would have been impossible for me yesterday. The weakness that had plagued Alister's body was simply gone, replaced by the strength of someone who had trained regularly.
[Agility: +2]
My reflexes sharpened. Everything seemed to slow down slightly, or perhaps it was that my mind was processing movement faster. I shifted my weight experimentally and found myself moving with a grace and precision that felt entirely natural yet completely new. My balance was perfect. My coordination was fluid. I could catch a thrown knife out of the air if I needed to, I was somehow certain of that.
[Constitution: +1]
A wave of vitality washed through me. My lungs expanded, drawing in a deep breath that filled me with energy. The lingering weakness from the fever vanished like morning mist under the sun. I felt healthy, whole, alive in a way that Alister's body had not been in months. My skin looked better too, I noticed, some of the pallor fading to a healthier tone. I would not get sick easily anymore. I could endure hardship that would break lesser men.
[Intelligence: +2]
My mind sharpened like a blade being honed on a whetstone. Thoughts that had been sluggish and muddled suddenly flowed with crystalline clarity. The information the system had given me organized itself naturally in my memory, easily accessible and perfectly understood. I could see connections I had missed before, patterns in Alister's memories that revealed insights about the merchant trade, about the city's economy, about opportunities I had not recognized. It was as though someone had upgraded the processing power of my brain.
[Wisdom: +1]
A sense of clarity and perspective settled over me, deeper than the mere intelligence boost. I understood things about people, about myself, about the nature of choices and consequences that I had not grasped before. It was not just being smarter; it was being wiser. I could see the long-term implications of decisions more clearly. I understood motivations, both my own and others', with greater depth. The panic and confusion I had felt upon waking was still there, but now I could contextualize it, manage it, work through it rationally.
[Charisma: +1]
This was harder to define than the physical changes. There was no mirror to show me what had changed, but I felt it nonetheless. A confidence, a presence, something in the way I held myself that would make people more inclined to listen when I spoke, to trust when I made promises, to follow when I led. It was subtle but undeniable. I would be better at persuasion, negotiation, leadership. People would simply like me more, all else being equal.
I stood up from the bed, marveling at how different my body felt. The transformation had taken perhaps thirty seconds, but I was fundamentally changed. I was stronger, faster, healthier, smarter, and more charismatic than I had been. This was just the copper tier reward, and already I felt like a different person.
'That was incredible,' I thought, flexing my hands and watching the tendons move with newfound strength. 'If that was just the beginning, what comes next?'
[Bronze tier is next. Are you ready to continue?]
'Absolutely.'
[Processing bronze tier threshold...]
[Depositing one bronze coin into inventory...]
[First bronze threshold reached.]
[Ten times multiplier active.]
[You have been granted ten skill points.]
This was different from the attribute points. Instead of an immediate surge of power, I felt potential settling into me like a reservoir waiting to be tapped. I instinctively understood that I could now improve any skill I attempted to learn, accelerating my growth in ways that would seem impossible to outside observers. If I picked up a sword, I could invest points to rapidly develop proficiency. If I studied accounting, I could master it in days rather than years. The skill points were stored, ready to be allocated whenever I chose.
'These will be invaluable for adapting to whatever situations I encounter,' I realized. 'I can shape my own development based on what I need most at any given time.'
[Indeed. Skill points offer tremendous flexibility. Now we come to silver tier, where you made your first major decision. Let us see what the system has selected for you.]
[Processing silver tier threshold...]
[Depositing one silver coin into inventory...]
[First silver threshold reached.]
[Ten times multiplier active.]
[Conversion to gold tier unique skill confirmed.]
[Analyzing your circumstances...]
[You are a merchant with no goods to sell.]
[You are a heir trying to rebuild a fallen house.]
[You need capital and unique products to establish yourself.]
[Gold tier unique skill acquired: Interdimensional Supermarket Access]
My vision blurred for a moment, and when it cleared, there was something new overlaying my sight. A translucent interface, like a window into another world, organized into neat categories with prices listed beside each item. The sheer variety was staggering. I could see shelves upon shelves of products, everything from food to clothing to tools, all labeled with prices in a currency I recognized from those fragmented memories. United States dollars.
[Skill description: You now have access to Earth's complete supermarket system, manifesting as a personal interface visible only to you. This grants you the ability to purchase modern goods from another world at prices measured in the currency of that world, converted at a rate of one copper coin per dollar equivalent.]
[Current merchant tier: Copper Merchant]
[Daily purchase limit: 10 items per day]
[Available categories at copper tier: Basic groceries including rice, pasta, canned goods, condiments. Hygiene products including soap, toothpaste, basic toiletries. Inexpensive clothing and common goods. Matches, lighters, basic tools.]
[Higher merchant tiers will unlock additional categories and increase your daily purchase limits. Merchant tier is increased by accumulating wealth and conducting successful trades. Stock refreshes every twenty-four hours at midnight.]
I stared at the interface, my enhanced intelligence immediately recognizing the implications. In a medieval world where preserving food meant salting or smoking, where spices were worth their weight in gold, where a simple bar of soap was a luxury item for most people, I now had access to modern goods at prices measured in copper coins. A bottle of shampoo that cost one copper could probably be sold for multiple silver coins to a noble who had never experienced anything like it. Canned foods that stayed fresh for years without magic or expensive preservation techniques. Matches that could light fires with a simple strike instead of requiring flint and steel.
This was not just a useful skill. This was a revolution waiting to happen. This was the foundation of an empire.
'This is perfect,' I thought, excitement building in my chest despite my attempts to remain calm and analytical. 'With this, I can establish myself as a merchant selling exotic goods that no one else can provide. The profits will be enormous. And as I earn more coins, I will grow even stronger. This creates a feedback loop of success.'
[I am pleased you appreciate the synergy. Now we come to the final threshold: gold tier. This is where your second major decision takes effect. Prepare yourself, Alister. What comes next will change you in fundamental ways.]
[Processing gold tier threshold...]
[Depositing one gold coin into inventory...]
[First gold threshold reached.]
[Ten times multiplier active.]
[Conversion to platinum tier ultimate skill confirmed.]
[Analyzing your circumstances...]
[You are a merchant who must charm, negotiate, seduce.]
[You are a man who must rebuild through relationships and influence.]
[You need social power to match your commercial advantages.]
[Platinum tier ultimate skill acquired: Aphrodite's Blessing]
[Warning: This skill will cause immediate physical transformation. Brace yourself.]
'Wait, what—'
The thought was cut off as my entire body erupted in sensation. It was not pain, but it was intense, like every cell was being broken down and rebuilt simultaneously. I collapsed to my knees, gasping, as warmth spread through me like liquid gold being poured into a mold. My bones shifted with soft pops and cracks that I could feel more than hear. My muscles restructured themselves, becoming leaner and more defined. My very flesh seemed to flow like clay in a sculptor's hands, reshaping itself according to some divine blueprint.
I crawled to the small mirror hanging beside the dresser, barely able to believe what I was seeing. My face was changing before my eyes. The gauntness from illness filled out, but not with simple fat or muscle. My features were being refined, perfected. My jaw became more defined, the line of it sharp and aristocratic. My cheekbones became more pronounced, giving my face a striking, memorable quality. My skin smoothed out, blemishes and imperfections vanishing as though they had never existed. The pallor of sickness was replaced by a healthy, luminous quality that seemed to glow from within.
My body was changing too. I was not becoming bulky or overly muscular, but every line, every curve, every proportion seemed to perfect itself. My shoulders broadened slightly. My waist narrowed. The awkward remnants of adolescence smoothed away, leaving someone who looked like the idealized version of a young man in his absolute physical prime. Even the way I moved felt different, more fluid and graceful, as though every gesture had been choreographed by a master.
But it was more than just physical appearance. There was something else, something intangible shifting inside me. An aura, a presence, a fundamental alteration to how I existed in the world. I could feel it settling into my very essence, becoming as much a part of me as my heartbeat or breath. It was like someone had turned on a light inside me, and that light shone outward in ways that would draw others like moths to flame.
The transformation lasted perhaps three or four minutes, though it felt like hours. When it finally ended, I stared at my reflection in stunned silence.
The face looking back at me was still recognizably mine, still had the basic structure of Alister Meyer's features, but refined to a level that seemed almost unreal. I looked like someone had taken a handsome person and then added just enough divine touch to push them past handsome and into the realm of breathtaking. I looked like someone who could walk into a royal court and have every head turn. Someone who could smile and have people trip over themselves to please me. Someone whose very presence commanded attention and admiration.
I looked like the kind of person songs were written about. The kind of person wars were fought over. The kind of person who changed history simply by existing.
'Gods above,' I thought, unable to tear my eyes away from the mirror. 'Is this really me?'
[This is you now, yes. Aphrodite's Blessing has transformed you into the physical embodiment of beauty and desirability. But the physical changes are only the beginning. Let me explain the full scope of what you have been granted.]
The system messages began scrolling across my vision, detailing every aspect of the ultimate skill. As I read, my awe gradually mixed with a growing sense of responsibility and even a touch of fear at the sheer scope of what I had been given.
[Physical transformation: Complete. You now possess divine-level beauty that will never fade. Your appearance has been optimized to absolute peak attractiveness by any standard. Your proportions are mathematically perfect, your symmetry flawless, your features idealized. You will maintain this appearance indefinitely, aging
incredibly slowly if at all. You appear to be in your early twenties and will remain so.]
[Supernatural allure: You radiate an aura that draws eyes and attention wherever you go. People will find themselves staring at you, unable to look away. This is not mind control, but rather an amplification of natural human response to beauty. Those around you will feel instinctively drawn to you, wanting to be near you, to gain your favor and attention.]
[Adaptive attraction: Your appearance subtly shifts in the perception of those who view you to match their ideal type. A person who prefers strong, masculine features will see you as more rugged. Someone who prefers delicate, refined beauty will see you as more elegant. The actual physical reality remains the same, but perception adjusts to maximize attractiveness to each individual viewer.]
[Seduction mastery: You now possess instinctive, master-level understanding of seduction and romance. You will know exactly what to say, how to move, what expressions to make to maximize attraction and desire. This is not learned knowledge but rather intuitive understanding that operates below conscious thought. You will be able to seduce almost anyone you set your mind to, limited only by those with divine protection or ultimate-tier willpower.]
[Desire sense: You can instinctively perceive what anyone finds attractive or desires, both physically and emotionally. This applies to romantic desires but also extends to other wants and needs. You will simply know what people long for, making you extraordinarily effective at negotiation and persuasion in all contexts.]
[Perfect technique: You possess innate master-level skill in all forms of intimate activity despite having no experience. Your body knows how to move, how to touch, how to please in ways that seem impossible for someone who has never practiced. This knowledge is instinctive and will adapt to each partner and situation.]
[Pleasure amplification: Those who experience intimacy with you will find the physical sensations amplified tenfold compared to normal human experience. What might be pleasant with another partner becomes transcendent with you. This ensures that intimate encounters with you are literally unforgettable and incomparable to anything else they might experience.]
[Infinite stamina: You possess unlimited endurance for romantic and intimate activities. You require no recovery time between encounters and never experience fatigue in this context. You can continue indefinitely if you so choose, limited only by your partner's capacity.]
[Heart binding: Those who experience intimacy with you will develop deep emotional attachment and genuine affection. This is not mind control or magical compulsion, but rather the natural result of perfect compatibility, incredible pleasure, and emotional connection. They will fall in love with you naturally and sincerely, though they retain free will and their own personalities.]
[Jealousy immunity: Those who become your romantic partners will not feel jealousy toward each other. They will understand and accept that you may have multiple relationships. They will even get along with each other, forming bonds of friendship and mutual support rather than rivalry. This allows you to maintain multiple relationships without drama or conflict.]
[Harem harmony: You can maintain any number of simultaneous romantic relationships without difficulty. Your partners will be happy to share you and will not demand exclusivity. They will form a supportive community around you rather than competing for your attention. This is not magical compulsion but rather a genuine shift in how they view relationships with you.]
[Loyalty aura: Your romantic partners will become fiercely loyal and protective of you. They will not betray you or act against your interests. They will support your goals and work to help you succeed. Again, this is genuine loyalty born from love and attachment, not mind control.]
[Divine protection: You possess minor divine protection from curses, enchantments, and magical effects related to love, seduction, or charm. Attempts to magically compel your affection or manipulate your desires will fail. You are also protected from love potions, aphrodisiacs you do not wish to be affected by, and similar effects.]
[Fertility control: You have perfect, conscious control over fertility. Intimate encounters will result in pregnancy if and only if you actively will it. This control extends to your partners as well, allowing you to prevent conception absolutely or ensure it as desired. There is no chance of accidental pregnancy.]
[Disease immunity: You possess complete immunity to all diseases that can be transmitted through intimate contact. You cannot contract such diseases, nor can you transmit them. Your body is perfectly clean and healthy in this regard at all times, and this protection extends to your partners during intimate encounters with you.]
[Emotional healing: Through intimacy, affection, and emotional connection, you can heal psychological trauma and emotional wounds in your partners. Past hurts, fears, and pain can be soothed and eventually resolved through your care and attention. This is not magical erasure but rather genuine therapeutic effect from your presence and affection.]
[Social magnetism: Beyond romantic contexts, you naturally become the center of attention in any social gathering. People will want to speak with you, be seen with you, gain your approval. You will find doors opening that would be closed to others, invitations arriving, opportunities presenting themselves. Your beauty and charm transcend romance and affect all social interactions.]
[Noble attraction: You will naturally draw the interest of high-status individuals including nobles, royalty, wealthy merchants, and other powerful figures. They will seek you out, invite you to events, want to associate with you. Your beauty and presence make you desirable as a companion, ally, or partner even to those who have everything else.]
[Reputation of excellence: Word of your appearance, charm, and other qualities will spread naturally and quickly. You will develop a reputation that precedes you, opening doors and creating opportunities. People will have heard of you before you arrive, and they will be predisposed to view you favorably based on that reputation.]
[Diplomatic seduction: Your attractiveness and charm are not merely personal assets but diplomatic tools. You can use beauty and seduction to influence negotiations, sway political decisions, forge alliances, and achieve goals that would be impossible through normal channels. Enemies can become allies, rivals can become supporters, all through the power of your presence and appeal.]
I finished reading and had to sit down on the bed again, overwhelmed by the sheer scope of what I had been granted. This was not just a skill. This was a fundamental reshaping of who I was and how I related to the entire world around me. Every conversation, every negotiation, every social interaction would be colored by this blessing. People would want to please me, to be near me, to gain my favor in ways that transcended normal human interaction.
The power was intoxicating. And absolutely terrifying.
'This could corrupt me,' I thought, staring at my transformed hands. 'I could become a monster with this power. I could manipulate and use people, breaking hearts and destroying lives without caring because I would always have more willing victims lining up. I could build an empire on seduction and betrayal, gathering power without ever caring about the damage I leave behind.'
[Your awareness of that danger is precisely why you were deemed worthy to receive this blessing, Alister. Power without wisdom leads to destruction. Wisdom without power leads to irrelevance. You have been granted both in measure. The question is not whether you can abuse this power, because you certainly can. The question is whether you will choose to use it responsibly.]
'I will,' I promised silently, clenching my fists. 'For Lily. For the family. For everyone who depends on me. I will use these gifts to build something good, not just something profitable. I will help people, not just exploit them. I will be worthy of this power, or I will die trying.'
[A noble sentiment. Hold fast to it when temptation comes, as it inevitably will. Now, let me provide you with a summary of your current status so you can understand exactly what you have become.]
New messages appeared, organized in a clean format that my enhanced intelligence absorbed and memorized instantly.
[Status Summary - Alister Meyer]
[Attributes:]
[Strength: 11] +3
[Agility: 9] +2
[Constitution: 7] +1
[Intelligence: 11] +2
[Wisdom: 8] +1
[Charisma: 9 (massively enhanced by Aphrodite's Blessing)] +1
[Available Resources:]
[Skill Points: 10 (can be allocated to any skill at any time)]
[Active Skills:]
[Gold Tier - Interdimensional Supermarket Access]
[Current merchant tier: Copper]
[Daily purchase limit: 10 items]
[Available categories: Basic groceries, hygiene products, inexpensive clothing, common goods, matches, lighters, basic tools]
[Conversion rate: 1 copper coin = 1 USD equivalent]
[Stock refreshes at midnight]
[Platinum Tier - Aphrodite's Blessing]
[All effects detailed above are now permanently active]
[Current Coin Balance:]
[Copper: 0]
[Bronze: 0]
[Silver: 0]
[Gold: 0]
[Platinum: 0]
[Next Thresholds:]
[Copper: 2 coins required]
[Bronze: 2 coins required]
[Silver: 2 coins required]
[Gold: 2 coins required]
[Platinum: 1 coin required]
[Important Reminder: Coins must be earned through legitimate commerce and trade. Stolen coins turn to ash. Gifted coins provide no benefit toward thresholds. Only coins earned through your own merchant activities, through buying, selling, negotiating, and conducting successful business, will count toward your progression.]
[System initialization complete. Your journey as a merchant begins now, Alister Meyer. Build well. Trade wisely. Grow strong.]
The messages faded, leaving me alone with my thoughts in the small, shabby room. But I was not the same person who had woken up in this bed. I was stronger, faster, healthier, smarter, and more capable than I had been. I had access to goods from another world that would be worth fortunes in this one. I had been blessed with beauty and charm that would open doors previously locked.
I stood and walked back to the mirror, studying my reflection with a mixture of awe and determination. The face looking back at me was that of someone destined for greatness. Someone who could rebuild a fallen house and raise it higher than it had ever been. Someone who could protect his sister and give her the life she deserved.
'Alister Meyer,' I thought, meeting my own gaze in the mirror. 'Heir to a dying merchant family. Possessor of a system that turns wealth into power. Blessed by a goddess with beauty and charm beyond mortal limits. And tasked with rebuilding everything that was lost.'
I smiled, and even I was struck by how that smile transformed my already perfect features into something almost luminous.
'This is going to work. It has to work. Because I will not accept any other outcome.'
I turned away from the mirror and surveyed the small room with new eyes. This hovel was temporary. Soon I would have money, real money, enough to move Lily somewhere safe and comfortable. I would establish myself as a merchant of exotic goods, building a reputation and a customer base. I would use my enhanced attributes and skills to negotiate better deals, to charm potential partners, to outthink competitors. I would leverage the Interdimensional Supermarket Access to acquire products no one else could offer at prices that ensured massive profits.
And as I accumulated wealth, as coins flowed through my hands from successful trades, I would continue to grow stronger. More thresholds would be reached. More rewards would be granted. The feedback loop of success would accelerate, each victory making the next one easier, each threshold crossed making me more capable of reaching the next.
'But first, I need to start small,' I realized, my enhanced wisdom tempering my excitement with practical consideration. 'I need to understand the market, identify what products from Earth would be most valuable here, figure out who my customers should be. I need to establish trust and reputation. I need to be smart about this, not just rush in blindly.'
I walked to the window and looked out at the street beyond. The merchant quarter, even this shabby section of it, was bustling with activity. Vendors called out their wares. Customers haggled over prices. Carts rolled past loaded with goods. Money was changing hands constantly, the lifeblood of commerce flowing through the city's veins.
Soon, I would be part of that flow. No, more than that. I would redirect it, channel it, make myself the center of it. The Meyer name would mean something again. It would mean quality, reliability, and access to wonders the world had never seen.
I thought about the Interdimensional Supermarket Access interface and willed it to appear. Instantly, the translucent display manifested in my vision, showing categories and products with prices listed beside them. I browsed through the available items, my merchant instincts, both inherited from Alister's memories and enhanced by my increased intelligence, immediately identifying opportunities.
Soap. In this world, soap was expensive, the domain of the wealthy. The common people made do with harsh lye soap that dried out skin and smelled terrible, if they had soap at all. But in the supermarket interface, I could see bars of gentle, fragrant soap for less than one copper coin each. If I bought them for copper coins and sold them for silver coins to middle-class customers, the profit margin would be enormous.
Spices. The supermarket had bottles of common spices, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, for just a few copper coins. In this world, spices like that were luxury goods worth significant silver or even small amounts of gold. A single bottle of black pepper that cost me two or three copper could probably be sold for ten to twenty silver coins if I found the right buyer.
Matches. The simple wooden matches that Earth took for granted did not exist here. People used flint and steel, or they borrowed flame from neighbors, or they paid fire-starters who carried coals. A box of matches cost less than one copper coin in the supermarket. I could probably sell individual matches for copper coins each, or a full box for a silver coin or more.
Canned goods. Food preservation here relied on salting, smoking, pickling, or expensive magical techniques. But canned goods stayed fresh for years without any special treatment. A can of vegetables or meat that cost me one copper coin could be sold for multiple silver coins to someone who needed long-lasting provisions, like a merchant planning a long journey or a noble stocking their estate.
'The possibilities are endless,' I thought, excitement building despite my attempts to remain analytical. 'Every single item in that supermarket is a potential fortune if I market it correctly. I just need to be careful not to flood the market, not to draw too much attention too quickly, and not to reveal the source of my goods.'
I closed the interface and took a deep breath, organizing my thoughts. I needed a plan. A real plan, not just vague dreams of wealth.
First, I needed to assess exactly what resources Lily and I had left. How much money remained? What possessions could be sold if necessary? What connections from the old days might still be useful?
Second, I needed to make my first purchases from the supermarket and my first sales in this world. Start small, test the market, learn what worked. Build capital gradually rather than trying to get rich overnight.
Third, I needed to establish a cover story for where my goods came from. I could not just appear with products no one had ever seen and refuse to explain their origin. I needed a plausible lie, something about a distant contact in a far-off land, perhaps, or a newly opened trade route.
Fourth, I needed to leverage my enhanced attributes and skills. My increased intelligence would help me negotiate better deals and identify opportunities. My improved charisma and the effects of Aphrodite's Blessing would make people more inclined to trust me and do business with me. My enhanced strength and agility would allow me to handle physical aspects of trade that might otherwise require hiring help.
Fifth, I needed to protect Lily and keep her safe while I worked. She could not know about the system or my abilities, at least not yet. It would be too dangerous, too much to explain. For now, I just needed her to trust me and let me handle things.
'I can do this,' I thought, feeling confidence, genuine confidence, settling into my bones. 'I have been given gifts beyond measure. Tools that others would kill for. Opportunities that should not exist. All I have to do is use them wisely.'
I stretched, feeling my enhanced body respond with perfect coordination and strength. The weakness was gone. The despair was gone. In their place was power, potential, and purpose.
A knock at the door made me turn. "Brother?" Lily's voice came through, tentative and worried. "Are you alright? I heard sounds..."
'She must have heard me moving around during the transformation,' I realized. 'I need to reassure her without explaining anything I cannot explain.'
"I am fine," I called back, keeping my voice warm and reassuring. The words came out naturally smooth, the effect of my enhanced charisma evident even in simple speech. "Better than fine. But I need some time alone to think. Can you give me an hour?"
There was a pause, and I could imagine her standing on the other side of the door, wanting to come in but respecting my request.
"Alright," she finally said. "But you promise you are okay? You really sound different."
"I promise. Trust me."
"I trust you, big brother."
Her footsteps retreated, and I was alone again with my thoughts and my reflection and my impossible gifts.
I smiled at my reflection in the mirror, at the divinely beautiful face that was now mine, at the eyes that sparkled with intelligence and determination.
'Alister Meyer,' I thought. 'Former heir to a dying house. Now something much more. A merchant with a system that turns wealth into power. A man blessed by a goddess with beauty beyond mortal comprehension. Someone with access to goods from another world and the intelligence to exploit that advantage.'
'The fall of House Meyer ends today. The rise begins now.'
I felt joy bubbling up inside me, genuine happiness mixed with excitement and anticipation. After months of despair, of grief, of slow decline into poverty and irrelevance, suddenly there was hope. No, more than hope. There was certainty. With these gifts, with these abilities, with this system, failure was almost impossible as long as I was smart and careful.
I had been given a second chance at life, in a new world, with powers that defied explanation. And I was not going to waste it.
'Thank you,' I thought, not sure who I was thanking. The system? Whatever force had brought me to this world? The gods? Fate itself? 'Thank you for this opportunity. I will not squander it. I will build something worthy of these gifts. Something that will last.'
I turned away from the mirror and sat down at the small desk in the corner of the room. There was paper there, cheap and rough but serviceable, and a pen with ink that had nearly run dry. I would need better supplies soon, but for now, this would do.
I began to write, organizing my thoughts, creating lists, making plans. My enhanced intelligence made connections I would never have seen before, identifying opportunities and potential pitfalls with equal clarity. My increased wisdom helped me temper ambition with caution, ensuring my plans were bold but not reckless.
Products to sell first. Target customers. Pricing strategies. Cover stories for the origin of goods. Short-term goals and long-term objectives. Contingency plans for various scenarios.
The words flowed from my pen in neat, organized fashion, creating a roadmap for the future. A future that suddenly looked very bright indeed.
I laughed softly to myself, unable to contain the joy and excitement that filled my chest.
'This is really happening. I am really going to do this. House Meyer will rise again, higher than ever before. And it starts today.'
I set down the pen and looked at the pages covered in my plans and schemes and strategies. Everything was coming together. Everything made sense.
'I have power. I have opportunity. I have purpose. What more could I possibly need?'
The answer, of course, was nothing. I had everything necessary to succeed. Now it was just a matter of execution, of taking these gifts and turning them into reality.
I stood and walked to the window again, looking out at the city that would soon know my name for all the right reasons. The sun was climbing higher in the sky, bathing the streets in warm light. A new day was beginning.
And so was my new life.
I smiled, and felt the weight of divine beauty in that expression, the power of supernatural charm, the confidence of someone who knew, truly knew, that success was inevitable.
'Let the rise of Alister Meyer begin.'