The Divine Trader Of All Realms

"Yes, I will accept the system,"

Zane replied. He knew there was no turning back. He had accepted the system, his life was never going to be the same. He didn't know of the system's capabilities yet. It only mentioned turning him into a divine trader.

[Congratulations host, you have made the correct decision. You can now view your information.]

He flexed his fingers, feeling the weight of anticipation settle on his shoulders as he awaited the system's answer.

a panel flickered into presence before him.

『SUPER TRADING SYSTEM』

✧Name: Zane Ling

✧Age: 20 years

✧Host level: Novice (Level 1)

『Attributes』

•Strength: 5 | Agility: 4 | Stamina: 7 | Mentality: 9

『Assets』

•Value: 0 Supreme coins

•Super points: 0

•Shops: None

『Inventory』

•Skill orbs: [2]

✦Slots: 2/20

As Zane read the contents of the panel, his eyes widened in disbelief. This system was strange, he had expected to receive amazing skills and abilities, but what he saw almost made him cough blood. All hope wasn't lost though. He still had skill orbs, though he couldn't help but wonder what they were.

His pulse quickened. Was he going to get supernatural abilities once he used them?

"System, what are skill orbs?" Zane inquired, his eyes glinting with curiosity as he leaned forward slightly. "How can I retrieve them from my inventory?"

Light burst before Zane's eyes, fracturing reality as information flooded his vision. The intensity made him squint and move back instinctively.

『Item description』

✦Skill orb

「A shimmering vortex of star-wrought mist, cradling secrets of forgotten arts. Peer into its depths; let whispers of skill weave through your soul, a slow bloom of mastery veiled in enigma. Stare too long, and its truths may unravel you.」

Just then a book materialized beside the panel floating before him. The book was leather-bound with shifting colors enveloping its front. Every few seconds, the book's color changed, deep emerald to midnight blue to burnished gold.

It emitted an iridescent glow that captivated the eye, drawing Zane's attention like a moth to flame. A pressure of intense heaviness filled the space as Zane stared at the shifting hues.

Zane reached forward cautiously and grasped the book. It settled perfectly in his hand, its spine resting against his palm as if it had been crafted specifically for his grip.

The book's cover flipped open at Zane's will, revealing the first page. It obeyed his mental command with fluid precision, no resistance, no hesitation. Using the book felt as natural as breathing.

Zane was still wondering what this mysterious tome was when another panel materialized.

『Item description』

✦Inventory Grimoire

「Roughly the size of a handspan and a half long, a palm wide, and only two fingers thick, it exudes an eerie elegance that defies its modest volume. This book contains unimaginable space between its pages, but only a single item can be stored per page.」

This system is really mysterious, it gives information in such cryptic ways, Zane thought, turning the book over in his hands and feeling its supernatural weight.

The first page was snow white with a golden orb depicted on it. As Zane stared, the orb transformed, becoming lively and realistic, as if he was gazing at the actual object floating in the space between the page's surface.

It wasn't merely a ball, but a mass of golden swirling mist that exuded a majestic, mystical aura. Within its depths, Zane could make out ancient runes dancing between the silky tendrils.

The runes were holographic, emitting a cool blue glow that pulsed with otherworldly energy.

As Zane focused on them, he could feel the profound depth of information they contained, layers upon layers of knowledge waiting to be unlocked.

Recognition dawned on him. This swirling sphere of energy was a skill orb.

He reached his consciousness into the page, mentally grasping the orb. The sensation was strange, like dipping his mind into warm honey. He then drew his awareness back from the page, bringing the skill orb with it.

Focusing his intention on the space beside the book, he mentally commanded the panel to disappear and positioned the skill orb in the empty air.

The moment the skill orb occupied that position, information began cascading through the surrounding space.

The air itself felt thick with knowledge, pressing against Zane's skin like invisible weight. He locked his gaze on the orb, and immediately information began flooding his mind in torrents.

The fundamental laws of space unfolded before his consciousness, complex geometries and dimensional mathematics that made his head spin.

Through this newfound understanding, he could sense the presence of another world beyond the space he currently occupied. He was trapped in a pocket dimension, and outside existed a much larger realm.

The world beyond was vastly more expansive than this confined space.

The silky, mist-like energy within the orb began moving toward Zane, wrapping around his body like ethereal ribbons. The energy penetrated his skin wherever it made contact, and with each absorbed particle, knowledge of establishing connections between worlds flooded his consciousness.

Zane felt his mind expanding as understanding filled his brain. Each passing moment brought the sensation of his mental capacity reaching its absolute limit.

After nearly an hour of continuous information flow, Zane's head began throbbing with sharp, stabbing pains. His mind simply could not process any more data.

Zane quickly averted his gaze from the orb, gasping slightly from the effort. Immediately, the mystical energy retracted and resumed its eternal dance within the orb's confines.

Zane had absorbed only a fraction of its vast knowledge, the information he had acquired was merely a drop in an infinite ocean, yet his brain felt completely saturated.

Despite the overwhelming experience, Zane could sense a new power stirring within him. He now possessed the fundamental knowledge needed to travel between worlds. This strange space was indeed a small pocket dimension nested within a much larger realm.

The system had previously informed him that he remained on Earth and was simply within a storage space. He could only conclude that the larger outer world was Earth, his home.

The small pocket dimension was this dark void that served as supernatural storage. It reminded him of the space contained within the pages of the Inventory Grimoire, though that space felt infinitely more vast than both dimensions combined.

Zane could perceive the existence of these worlds but not their contents. More importantly, he could now establish connections between realms and travel freely among them.

The space he occupied maintained a connection with the mysterious coin. There was an extremely small micro-dimension contained within the coin that shared a powerful link with his current location.

Zane could also sense the intricate web of connections binding different worlds together.

This pocket dimension was simultaneously connected to both the outer world and the smaller realm inside the coin, a perfect triangle of spatial relationships.

Zane withdrew his consciousness from the dimensional sensing, immediately losing perception of the connected worlds. A crushing headache invaded his skull without warning.

The pain was excruciating, like having red-hot needles driven through his temples. His mind reeled from chaotic flashes of unconsolidated information cascading through his thoughts in violent waves.

After approximately ten agonizing minutes, the headache finally subsided. The knowledge had been fully integrated into his consciousness. A familiar panel materialized before him.

『New Skill Acquired』

『50 super points have been awarded』

"Nyx, what are super points?"

Zane addressed the personal assistant AI while mentally dismissing the panel. He was gradually becoming accustomed to the system's interface.

The panels only appeared when he actively called upon the system, while invoking Nyx's name brought forth the familiar voice in his head.

[Super points are merits awarded by the system. Super points can be used to upgrade your level or function as currency. Super points are awarded when the host accomplishes feats acknowledged by the system.]

"What specific accomplishments do I need to perform to earn super points?"

[Anything the host does to advance closer toward becoming a divine trader counts as an accomplishment.]

Zane's curiosity about the nature of a divine trader intensified. The system had mentioned this mysterious role when he had inquired about its ultimate purpose.

"What exactly is a divine trader?" Zane asked, curiosity now dancing at the edges of his vision like flickering flames.

[Sorry, your current level is too low. Information is currently restricted.]

Zane felt genuinely surprised by the system's refusal. This was the first time it had withheld information from him. The restriction only heightened his fascination.

What is a divine trader? Why is this information classified? Since the system claims my level is insufficient, perhaps the knowledge will become available later. I can only wait, time will reveal the truth. For now, I must figure out how to escape this suffocating place.

Zane was eager to learn about his newly acquired skill. Though he already understood its basic function, the system had a distinctly twisted method of presenting information. He couldn't wait to see how it would describe his ability.

With a focused thought, the panel materialized before him.

『Skill Description』

✦Realm Traveler

「A silent key to worlds unseen. Through glowing strands of connection, the merchant slips between realities linked by value, luck, and untold deals. An invitation paid in coin, sealed in intent. Where others see distance, he sees doors. Wherever money sings, a merchant follows.」

"Realm traveler," Zane murmured, savoring the flow of the words on his tongue. "Nice ring to it, but why 'realm'?"

[You have not fully absorbed the skill. You can only travel to level 1 realms connected to your current plane. Skill name and capabilities will evolve with complete assimilation.]

"What is the precise connection between this space and that coin?" This question had been gnawing at Zane's mind ever since he had first sensed the spatial link.

[The coin contains a micro-world that opens the pathway to this storage space. When you entered this space while carrying the coin, this world enveloped the smaller dimension, creating a spatial loop. That coin can no longer be used to exit this space.]

"Well, I expected as much, I could feel the spatial cycle within the coin leading directly to this world. There's no possible way to use it for escape."

This revelation confirmed his suspicions. The only viable method of returning to his world was through his newly acquired skill, Realm Traveler. He still needed to bring his belongings with him.

Given his current understanding of the skill, he could only transport himself along with a small mass of objects. He could exit wearing only his current clothes, there was no way to bring the entire bag.

His thoughts turned to the Inventory Grimoire. The book materialized before him with a mere thought.

The skill orb he had extracted still floated suspended in the space beside the mystical tome. He extended his consciousness and grasped the orb with his mind.

Whenever he made contact with the grimoire, Zane felt as though he could seize any object within sight and store it within the book's pages.

He placed the orb back inside its designated page. The golden image that had previously adorned the page reappeared instantly.

He attempted to grasp the black leather bag, but his efforts failed completely. He recalled the system's description: 'This book contains unimaginable space between its pages, but only a single item can be stored per page.'

Zane had initially assumed the bag could be considered a single item. His failure now confirmed otherwise.

"What qualifies as a single item?" Zane inquired.

[A single item is a fully connected, intact portion that functions as one whole, physically, spiritually, or conceptually. If it's bonded, sealed, or intended to act as one unified object, the System treats it as one.]

Zane nodded in understanding. He had asked merely to confirm his suspicions, and Nyx had validated his theory. He had only one viable option: store the bag's contents separately.

The system had mentioned that only 2 out of 20 slots were currently occupied. Zane concluded that the slots corresponded to the grimoire's pages. The first two pages contained orbs drawn upon them.

After carefully removing all objects from the bag, Zane placed them into the grimoire one by one. Each item found its place on a separate page, materializing as detailed illustrations on the pristine white surfaces. Eleven pages now contained items depicted in vivid detail.

He summoned the Inventory tab to verify his progress.

『Inventory』

•Skill orbs [2], Bag, Oni mask, Dagger, Coat, Pants, Gloves [2], Boots [2]

✦Slots: 11/20

The panel vanished instantly after Zane finished reading. The Inventory Grimoire followed suit, disappearing into whatever ethereal space housed the system's artifacts.

Zane didn't know where the grimoire retreated to, but he resisted the urge to ask. Some mysteries could wait.

Zane had spent over an hour and a half in this otherworldly space. He had undoubtedly missed his shift at the bar. The thought barely registered, he no longer cared about the mundane job.

He simply wanted to reach his apartment and collapse into sleep. His head continued throbbing relentlessly, and this day had certainly been the longest he had ever experienced.

Countless questions still burned in his mind, but he lacked the mental energy to pursue them.

After receiving the influx of information about his new skill, his brain felt completely saturated. He teetered on the edge of cognitive overload, while fatigue permeated his entire body, screaming for rest.

Zane extended his consciousness into the dimensional space, reaching for the connection leading to the outer world.

He willed his body to vanish from this pocket dimension, targeting the larger realm beyond. Reality warped around him like molten glass, and time stretched thin as ethereal threads as Zane's form dissolved from the space.

Inside the abandoned dimension, only a lone coin floated in the darkness, accompanied by the ever-present air.

Suddenly, a crack materialized in the space's walls, and a figure dressed in pristine white robes stepped through the shimmering opening. He possessed long, flowing hair and a beautifully sculpted face that seemed carved from marble.

Captain Wei Jun had arrived to capture the perpetrator. All he discovered was a dark, empty void. The air carried the faint scent of cedar, and a coin engraved with an 'S' floated motionlessly at the chamber's right end.