In the middle of the night, I got out of bed, slowly spreading my mana across the apartment like a silent mist.
I checked Maya's room first - she was sleeping soundly.
Then I guided my mana toward Uncle Jake's room.
He was asleep too, but his face wasn't peaceful. It still held traces of agony... and dried tears.
It was as if he hadn't fallen asleep, but had simply passed out from sadness.
He always acted strong and dependable around us - like nothing could shake him -
but the truth was clear: this man was just as broken as the rest of us.
And it broke my heart to see him like that.
Especially knowing...
He's the last family we have left.
That sight made any remaining doubt about tonight vanish.
So I changed into black clothes, pulled a hat over my head, and quietly slipped out of the window.
It was time to make my first move.
---
My goal was simple:
Find him.
The Trader.
He's... a special kind of guy. Not many have seen his face, but almost everyone's heard of him.
He deals in dungeon items, rare equipment, forbidden skills, and even ancient information.
To most, that might sound normal given how twisted this world's become.
But that guy isn't normal at all.
I met him a few times in my past life. Each deal was different, and so were the prices.
Sometimes, it was a common item or a hot meal.
Other times...
It was blood. A target. A life.
But one thing's for sure - that guy has a weakness.
And in this timeline, I'm the only one who knows it.
---
I moved through the shadows until I reached the edge of the slums.
There, tucked behind the corner of a rundown building, was a homeless man sleeping under the dim glow of a flickering streetlight.
Next to him was a cardboard sign that read:
> Be careful when making a deal with the devil.
I walked toward him, heart steady, fingers rummaging through my pocket.
Six coins.
I tossed them into the old hat he'd placed beside him to collect change.
His eyes opened slowly, glowing faintly in the dark, and locked with mine.
He smiled.
"Bless you, young one," he said warmly.
I stared at him, voice flat.
"Blessings are for the weak."
He looked slightly taken aback - understandably so.
This entire exchange was coded. A message.
I paused for a moment, then added:
"It sure is lonely and cold tonight...
The perfect night for the demon to come out."
The homeless man's expression shifted. He smirked, and replied:
"And what demon are you talking about?"
This was it. The final line.
I really hope this code still works...
I took a slow breath and said:
"Who knows...
I just know he's cursed with greed."
The moment I spoke, the air changed.
Purple smoke began seeping from the man's hand, curling around me like a living thing.
It formed a slow-spinning ring of mist before completely swallowing me whole.
Teleportation skills really are something.
In just a second, the world twisted - and then I was no longer outside.
---
I stood in a room filled wall-to-wall with nothing but books. The air smelled of parchment and secrets.
A single desk sat in the middle, and behind it was a figure, completely cloaked in that same purple smoke.
I couldn't see his face - I never could - but there was no doubt in my mind.
It was him.
The Trader.