The transition wasn't like the others. Instead of a sudden pull, the Infinite Realm Emporium seemed to stretch and fold. The walls of the warehouse in Casablanca faded, replaced by endless white marble pillars that reached into a sky filled with three moons.
"Welcome to the Great Library, Merchant," the two-tailed cat chirped, its voice echoing in Omar's mind.
Omar stepped out of the shop's door, with Laila close behind him, her hands gripped tightly on her daggers. They weren't in Morocco anymore. They were standing in a version of Alexandria where the library had never burned—instead, it had grown into a city-sized sanctuary for every scroll, book, and memory in the multiverse.
[Location: The Great Library of Alexandria (Timeline 04).]
[Mana Density: Extremely High (10x Earth Standard).]
[Warning: Violence is strictly forbidden within the Library's silence zones.]
"Stay sharp, Laila," Omar whispered. He could feel the [Shadow-Step Flash] humming in his muscles, reacting to the high mana in the air.
As they walked through the aisles of giant stone shelves, they reached a central plaza. There, sitting at a desk made of solid diamond, was an old man with skin like cracked parchment and eyes that held the glow of ancient stars.
Name: The Grand Archivist.
Status: Eternal Guardian.
Hidden Desire: To find the 'Lost Chapter' of the First God.
True Value: ??? (Level too high for current Eye).
"You've come," the Archivist said without looking up. "The Merchant of Earth. A small world, but a troublesome one."
"I heard you have a problem that only my 'Eye' can solve," Omar said, standing tall. He didn't feel like a porter anymore; he felt like an equal.
The Archivist placed a broken stone tablet on the desk. "This is the Tablet of Destiny. It was stolen by a 'Void-Leper'—a creature that exists between the cracks of worlds. We cannot see him. We cannot track him. But I am told your 'Merchant's Eye' sees the value in everything, even things that don't exist."
Omar leaned over the tablet. He activated his skill.
[Skill Activated: Merchant's Eye (Level 2 Boosted by Realm Mana).]
[Detecting... Residual Essence of a Void-Leper.]
[Tracking Path: The creature is hiding in the 'Shadow' of the Library's forbidden section.]
"I can find it," Omar said, his eyes glowing with blue light. "But the price for my services is high, Archivist. I don't want gold. I want access to the 'Forbidden Encyclopedia of Systems'."
The Archivist froze. The air in the library grew cold. "You want to know the origin of the System that chose you? That is a dangerous path, boy."
"Every item has a price," Omar countered. "You want your destiny back. I want my answers. Do we have a deal?"
The Archivist sighed, a sound that felt like centuries passing. "Find the tablet. Bring it back before the third moon sets, and you shall have your answers."
Omar turned to Laila. "Ready? This isn't like fighting thugs in Casablanca. This thing lives in the shadows."
Laila smirked, her silver eyes glowing. "Shadows are my specialty, boss. Let's go hunting."
As they dived into the dark aisles of the forbidden section, Omar felt a presence watching them—not the Archivist, but something darker. Something that had been waiting for a "Merchant" to arrive.
[New Quest: The Silent Thief.]
[Objective: Capture the Void-Leper and retrieve the Tablet.]
[Hidden Danger: A rival Merchant from the 'Dark Sector' is also on the hunt.]