The rain in Belmora hadn't stopped. But for Klaus Machiavelli, the world had already changed.
He walked through the neon-lit streets with Selene, the Nine-Tail Fox, at his side. Her nine tails shimmered faintly under the city lights, a vision so otherworldly that pedestrians averted their eyes. To them, she was just another beauty out of his league.
To Klaus? She was his first real investment.
And the cloth bags in his hands were his first fortune.
[DIMENSIONAL TRADE] Item Bank Active.Eligible Trade Window Detected.
The interface opened before his eyes. Glyphs whirled. Reality bent.
The Trade Window
The world around him blurred, and in its place appeared a shimmering table of light. Two columns: Earth Market and Elven Realm Market.
Luxury Cloth (Silk-of-Moonweave):
Earth Value: 1,200 Credits.
Elven Realm Value: 9,500 Gold.
Klaus's lips curved into a slow smile. "So it wasn't just numbers… it's real."
He dragged the item from one column to the other. The world shivered.
[TRADE EXECUTED.]-1,200 Credits → +9,500 Gold (Elven Realm Account).Cashback Bonus Applied: +120 Credits refunded.
His wristband flashed. Credits refunded. Gold coins—shimmering with enchantment—appeared stacked neatly in his Dream-Seal inventory.
He chuckled darkly. "So I spend once… and earn twice."
[Lucifer]: "Exactly. Money flows like blood, Crown-Bearer. Spill it in the right vein, and you'll never bleed dry."
Selene tilted her head, her silver eyes narrowing. "You look pleased. Did the silk please you more than me?"
Klaus smirked. "The silk will pay for kingdoms. You… you might cost me more."
Her tails flicked, amused. "Then spend wisely."
Expanding the Scheme
The system blinked again.
[DIMENSIONAL TRADE: Market Scan Available.]Comparing commodities across realms…
Iron Ore (Earth: 50 Credits/ton → Elven Realm: 300 Gold/ton).
Mana Crystals (Elven Realm: 10 Gold each → Earth Black Market: 500 Credits each).
Alchemical Herbs (Earth: 30 Credits/kg → Elven Realm: 100 Gold/kg).
Klaus's breath caught. His strategist's mind roared into motion. "Ore. Crystals. Herbs. I could build an empire in a week."
[Lucifer]: "Yes, yes. This is where merchants become kings, Crown-Bearer. Wars are won not with swords but with ledgers."
Selene's lips curved into a sly smile. "You see the game now, don't you? This world, that world—they've both been starving for someone like you."
Klaus grinned, fangs flashing. "No… they've been starving for prey. And I've just found a way to feed."
The First Cycle
He tested it immediately.
He bought Iron Ore from a Belmora smuggler warehouse for 500 Credits.
[DIMENSIONAL TRADE] Ore Transferred: Earth → Elven Realm.500 Credits → 3,000 Gold.
Then flipped Mana Crystals back into Earth's underground guild auction:
[TRADE EXECUTED] 30 Gold → 1,500 Credits.
His balance soared.
Starting Balance: -72,000 Credits debt.
After Trades: -68,980 Credits.
It wasn't much against his mountain of debt—but it was proof of concept.
And Klaus Machiavelli was a man who turned proofs into empires.
The Fox's Resonance
As the trades rolled, Selene watched him closely. Every time his interface blinked with profit, her Resonance ticked higher.
[SIMP SYSTEM: Target Resonance Increased.]95% → 98%.
A soft pulse of power entered him. Another skill surfaced.
[RES0NANCE SYNC] Nine-Tail Fox — Passive Gained: Illusion Veil (Rank B).Effect: Cloak small-scale trades, movements, or identities in perfect glamours.
Klaus exhaled. He now had the ability to hide his operations from guild auditors and black market hunters.
He turned to Selene. "So this is how it works—you give me illusions, and I give you indulgence."
She smirked, tails brushing his arm. "And if you stop spending?"
He smirked back. "Then I'll buy your soul instead."
[Lucifer]: "Delicious. Two predators circling, each thinking they'll eat the other first. I couldn't have written this better myself."
Closing the Day
By the time dawn cut through the rain, Klaus had cycled through four trades. His debt shrank by nearly 10,000 Credits in a single night. And that was without scaling.
He stood at the balcony of his rundown flat, moonlight on his pale face, white hair damp, wings folded behind him. In one hand, he held the glowing B-Tier Dream-Seal. In the other, his wristband tallying credits and gold across realms.
Klaus whispered into the night: "Coins never decrease. Not for me. Not ever again."
The wolf's shadow howled across the rooftops. The crow shrieked against the moon.
And the system chimed with its final notification:
[DIMENSIONAL TRADE QUEST UNLOCKED] — "Build Your First Trade Network."Objective: Establish trade nodes on Earth and the Elven Realm.Reward: Dimensional Market Expansion + Merchant Title.Penalty: Loss of Trading Rights for 7 Days.
Klaus's crimson eyes glowed, reflecting the storm. "Then let's build a kingdom… one coin at a time.