The Grand Spire of the Soul Market was a fortress of crystalline light. It wasn't guarded by soldiers, but by [Paradox Sentinels]—beings that existed in the past and future simultaneously. To touch them was to be erased from history.
"We have 600 seconds," Omar whispered, checking his HUD. "Laila, you and Kaelen create a 'Market Distortion'. I need the Sentinels to focus on a fake transaction."
"And you?" Laila asked, her form flickering as she activated her [Void-Camouflage].
"I'm going to use the Emporium as a Trojan Horse," Omar replied.
Omar didn't walk to the Spire. He used the [Sovereign Inventory] in a way he never had before. He didn't put an item into his pocket; he put the entire shop into a spatial pocket and "sold" it to himself, appearing inside the Spire's vault as a mere spark of light.
[Warning: Trespassing in a Divine Vault.]
[Security Level: Omega.]
Inside the vault, thousands of souls were trapped in glass orbs, labeled like expensive wine. But in the center, held by chains of "Anti-Matter," was a blue flame that didn't flicker.
[Item: The Soul of Sarah (The Architect's Architect).]
Omar felt a pang in his chest. "Mom..."
But before he could reach the glass, the air crystallized. A figure emerged from the shadows. He was tall, dressed in a suit made of stars, with no face—only a swirling galaxy where his head should be. This was The Auctioneer, the most powerful Merchant in the 7th Dimension.
"You are early, Heir," The Auctioneer spoke, his voice vibrating in Omar's very marrow. "But you are also broke. You came to steal what you cannot afford."
"I'm not here to steal," Omar said, his voice cold. "I'm here to make a Reverse Trade."
The Auctioneer paused. "A Reverse Trade? Explain."
"You want my mother's soul because she has the 'Master Key' to the Architect's System," Omar stepped forward, his Sovereign Staff glowing. "But that key is useless without the Lock. And I am the Lock."
Omar opened his status window and pointed to his unique class: [Sovereign Merchant].
"If I die, the System collapses. Every soul you've gathered, every credit you've made, every bit of power you've sucked from the lower dimensions—it all vanishes. You become nothing but a ghost in an empty room."
The Auctioneer stayed silent for a long time. The galaxy in his face spun faster. "You are gambling with your existence, human. If I call your bluff, you lose everything."
"It's not a bluff," Omar smirked. "It's a Monopoly. I own the platform you're standing on."
Outside, a massive explosion rocked the Spire. Laila and Kaelen had successfully overloaded the Market's energy grid using the [World-Eater Credits] Omar had harvested from the Shadow Market missiles.
"The grid is failing!" The Auctioneer hissed. "What have you done?"
"I've initiated a [Market Crash]," Omar said. "In 30 seconds, the value of every soul in this vault will drop to zero. Unless... you transfer the 'Ownership' of Sarah's soul to the Emporium right now. I'll stabilize the market, and you get to keep the rest of your inventory."
[Counter-Offer Detected!]
[The Auctioneer is calculating... 99% Risk detected.]
"Fine!" The Auctioneer roared, his galactic face turning a violent red. "Take her! But know this, Omar... you have just made an enemy of the Celestial Board of Directors. They will not stop until your shop is ash!"
The blue flame shattered its chains and flew into Omar's hand.
[Acquisition Successful: Sarah's Soul (Incomplete Status).]
[New Mission: Find the 'Body of the Creator' to reunite the soul.]
"Omar! We have to go! Now!" Laila's voice screamed through the comms as the Spire began to collapse into a black hole.
Omar grabbed the soul, summoned the Emporium out of his spatial pocket, and jumped into the black door just as the entire 7th Dimension started to glitch like a broken video game.
Back inside the Emporium:
The shop was shaking violently. Omar fell to the floor, clutching the blue flame. Laila and Kaelen crashed beside him, their armor smoking.
"Did we... get her?" Laila gasped.
Omar looked at the blue flame in his palm. It began to change shape, forming the translucent silhouette of a woman. She looked at Omar, not with the coldness of a scientist, but with the warmth of a mother.
"Omar..." she whispered. "You shouldn't have come. They've been waiting for you to take me."
"Why?" Omar asked, his breath returning.
"Because," she pointed to the shop's console. "I didn't write the System to save Earth. I wrote it to Trap the Architects. And by bringing me here... you've just brought the 'Virus' inside the only place they can't control."
The shop's screen flickered to life, showing a map of a place Omar had never seen: The Origin Point.
"The real war starts now, son," Sarah said. "And for this one, we're going to need a lot more than gold."