The System Shop
The night wind brushed softly through the neem leaves.
Garud sat beneath the tree, his back against the trunk, fists resting on his knees. His body was sore from the battle, but his mind was sharper than ever.
System Shop…
The moment the thought formed—
Reality dissolved.
The field vanished.
Garud found himself standing in a vast, endless void filled with floating panels of light, arranged like constellations in the night sky. Each panel pulsed faintly, alive with power.
A calm, ancient voice echoed from everywhere at once.
"Welcome, Heir of Rudra."
"System Shop successfully unlocked."
A massive interface unfolded before his eyes.
SYSTEM SHOP
Accepted Currency:
Demon Soul Stones
Rare Materials
Divine Essence (Locked)
Another panel opened automatically.
"Information Assistance: Enabled."
Garud's gaze hardened.
So this system intends to teach me… whether I like it or not.
WEAPON RANKING SYSTEM
A vertical pillar of light appeared, divided into levels.
Weapon Classification (Lowest → Highest):
Common
Mass-produced or crude weapons
Minimal enhancement
Uncommon
Reinforced weapons
Basic bonuses
Rift Cleaver: Uncommon
Rare
Special effects or elemental traits
Requires soul energy to unlock full power
Epic
Possess unique abilities
Begin forming a bond with the wielder
Legendary
Myth-bound weapons
May contain weapon spirits
Divine
Touched by gods
Rare beyond measure
God-Tier
Concept-level weapons
Can influence reality itself
Garud exhaled slowly.
So even the weapon dropped by that demon was near the bottom…
DEMON THREAT HIERARCHY
The shop shifted, revealing a darker scale.
Demon Classification:
Lesser Demon
Scouts, fodder
Example: Lesser Shade
Mid-tier Demon
Soldiers and brutes
Regeneration-capable
Example: Rift Brute
High-tier Demon
Commanders
Advanced intelligence
Elemental powers
Elite Demon
Battlefield leaders
Can erase villages
Demon Lord
Rule territories or realms
Demon King
Comparable to ancient gods
Demon God
Primordial beings
Enemies of creation itself
Garud clenched his jaw.
And I've only faced the second level…
SOUL STONE & MATERIAL RANKING
Another panel opened.
Material Classification:
Low-tier Soul Stone
Dropped by Lesser Demons
Mid-tier Soul Stone
Dropped by Mid-tier Demons
High-tier Soul Stone
From High-tier or Elite Demons
Elite Soul Core
From Demon Lords
King's Core
From Demon Kings
God Fragment
From Demon Gods or divine entities
The purple crystal from earlier glowed faintly in his inventory.
Item Identified:
Mid-tier Demon Soul Stone
EXCHANGE OPTIONS
1× Mid-tier Soul Stone may be exchanged for:
Skill Scroll (Random)
Weapon Upgrade Material
Temporary Stat Enhancement
Garud folded his arms.
Power has structure… and cost.
But then—
A section at the bottom of the shop flickered.
GROWTH-TYPE CATEGORY. (LOCKED)
Garud focused.
"Growth type?"
The lock cracked open slightly.
GROWTH-TYPE WEAPONS
"Growth-Type Weapons do not possess a fixed rank."
They evolve based on:
Combat experience
Soul absorption
User compatibility
Divine Power resonance
A shifting silhouette appeared—formless, unfinished.
Example: Growth Weapon (Dormant State)
Current Rank: Common
Potential Rank: Unknown (Up to God-Tier)
Binding: Soul-bound
"Growth Weapons cannot be stolen or used by others."
"They grow only if the wielder survives."
Garud's heartbeat slowed.
A weapon that grows with me…
GROWTH-TYPE SKILLS
The system continued.
"Growth-Type Skills evolve instead of being replaced."
They unlock stages through usage and mastery."
A diagram appeared.
Growth Skill Structure:
Stage I: Foundation
Stage II: Enhanced Control
Stage III: Authority
Final Stage: Conceptual Power
"Growth-Type selections are irreversible."
"The Heir may possess only a limited number."
Garud closed his eyes.
One wrong choice… and my future narrows.
SYSTEM NOTICE
"Growth-Type access will unlock when Divine Power reaches 5."
Garud opened his eyes, calm and resolute.
"Then I'll reach it."
The shop slowly faded.
Reality returned.
The neem leaves rustled gently overhead.
Karan stood nearby, arms crossed.
"You look like someone who just saw the future," he said.
Garud smiled faintly.
"I did."
Far away—
In a realm wrapped in shadow—
An ancient presence stirred uneasily.
"A growth path has been chosen…"
"So the Heir has begun walking."