The forbidden section of the Library was a labyrinth of floating books and whispering shadows. Here, the air was thick with the scent of rotting ink and ancient secrets. Omar's [Merchant's Eye] was working overtime, flickering as it tried to track the "Void-Leper" through the shifting dimensions.
"There!" Laila hissed, pointing toward a shelf that seemed to be vibrating.
A creature that looked like a smudge of static—a glitch in reality—was clutching the glowing stone tablet. It was the Void-Leper. But before Laila could lung forward, a cold, metallic voice rang out from the darkness.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, little hunter. That 'item' is already sold."
From the shadows stepped a man who looked like the complete opposite of Omar. He wore a sharp, crimson suit made of dragon-scale silk, and floating around him were three mechanical eyes that scanned everything in the room.
[Warning! Another 'System Host' Detected!]
[Name: Malakor the Collector.]
[Class: Black-Market Merchant (Level 12).]
[Affiliation: The Dark Sector Syndicate.]
Omar felt a cold sweat on his neck. Level 12? He was only Level 5. The power gap was immense.
"Malakor," Omar said, stepping in front of Laila. "I assume you're the one who hired this creature to steal the tablet."
"Business is business, kid," Malakor smirked, tapping a golden ring on his finger. "The Dark Sector has a client who wants to rewrite a few timelines. This tablet is the key. Now, be a good little 'Novice' and step aside before I turn your soul into a low-grade potion."
[System: Rival Merchant has initiated a 'Hostile Trade Negotiation'.]
[Note: In this mode, items and skills can be stolen through combat!]
"Laila, get the tablet. I'll handle the 'Collector'," Omar whispered.
"But Omar, he's—"
"Go!"
Omar didn't wait. He triggered [Shadow-Step Flash]. In a burst of blue after-images, he appeared right in front of Malakor. But Malakor didn't even move. One of his mechanical eyes emitted a red pulse, creating a forcefield that stopped Omar's strike inches away.
"Level 5 speed? Cute," Malakor laughed. He raised his hand, and a swarm of nanobots began to pour out of his sleeve. "Let me show you how a real Merchant fights."
Omar realized he couldn't win with raw power. He had to use the one thing a Merchant has: A Deal.
"Wait!" Omar shouted, freezing in place. "Malakor, you're a businessman. You know the Archivist is watching this room. Even if you kill me, you'll be banned from this Timeline forever. Is this tablet really worth losing access to the Library of Alexandria?"
Malakor paused, his eyes narrowing. "The Library is just one market. There are thousands."
"But I have something better," Omar said, reaching into his inventory and pulling out the [MK-1 Mana-Rifle] he had looted in Casablanca, along with a vial of [Dwarven Mana-Coal]. "The Shadow Market on Earth is developing technology that combines mana with industrial mass-production. You don't have this in the Dark Sector yet, do you?"
Malakor's mechanical eyes zoomed in on the rifle. He had never seen this specific blend of tech and magic. As a collector, his greed was his greatest weakness.
"A prototype from a Tier-1 world?" Malakor whispered. "Where did you get this?"
"I am the sole supplier," Omar lied with a confident smile. "Let Laila take the tablet back to the Archivist. In exchange, I'll give you the blueprints for this tech and a contract for exclusive distribution in the Dark Sector. You get a new monopoly, and I get my quest completed. We both win."
[Skill Check: 'Merchant's Lie'...]
[Result: Success! Malakor's greed is piqued.]
Malakor looked at the rifle, then at the tablet. After a tense silence, he snapped his fingers, and the nanobots retracted. "You have a silver tongue, kid. Fine. A trade of information for a trade of goods. But if those blueprints are fake, I'll find your little shop on Earth and burn it to the ground."
Laila grabbed the tablet from the confused Void-Leper and signaled to Omar. They began to back away toward the central plaza.
"One more thing, Omar," Malakor called out as they left. "The 'Dark Sector' is coming to Earth soon. We don't like new competitors. Enjoy your 'Library answers'... they might be the last things you ever learn."
As they reached the safety of the Archivist's desk, Omar felt his legs go weak. He had just bluffed a Level 12 Merchant and survived.
[Quest Completed: The Silent Thief.]
[Rewards: 2,000 Cosmic Credits, Reputation 'Interdimensional Dealer'.]
[The Grand Archivist is opening the 'Forbidden Encyclopedia'...]
Omar looked at the massive, glowing book the Archivist placed on the table. The secrets of why he was chosen, and what the "System" really was, were finally within his reach.