Akashic_Tales Originals
God-Tier Shop System: I Sell Everything But Mercy
[Author – SYTTROX]
[Editor – MiT7]
Chapter 5: Dungeon Dive (2)
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"Can you walk?" Kiera asked, glancing nervously toward the patrol path. "We need to move. Your... episode... might have attracted attention."
Lin Tian nodded, rising unsteadily to his feet. The new energy flowing through his partially restored meridians felt alien yet familiar, as if he'd recovered something long forgotten rather than gained something new.
"I can walk," he confirmed, testing his balance. "We should head back to the entrance."
They had just emerged from their shelter when a roar shattered the forest's relative quiet, a sound so deep it vibrated in their bones. Birds erupted from the canopy in panicked flight, and smaller creatures scurried for cover in all directions.
"That's not good," Kiera breathed, her face paling. "That's a C-rank roar, maybe higher. Something big is hunting nearby."
"How far to the outer ring?" Lin Tian asked, calculating their options.
"Too far if that thing is between us and safety." She scanned their surroundings, experienced eyes seeking escape routes. "There's a guild outpost about a kilometer east. They might let us shelter there, even as independents."
Another roar, closer this time. The ground trembled beneath their feet.
"East it is," Lin Tian decided, drawing his father's dagger. The moonshade steel hummed in response to his touch, seeming to resonate with the new energy flowing through his meridians.
They ran, abandoning stealth for speed. The forest blurred around them, purple light casting twisted shadows across their path. Lin Tian felt his newly awakened energy responding to his desperation, lending strength to his legs and clarity to his senses.
The system chimed with an alert.
[Danger Proximity: Critical]
[Beast Identified: Earthshaker Behemoth]
[Classification: C-Rank Apex Predator]
[Threat Assessment: Extreme]
[Recommendation: Avoid At All Costs]
"There!" Kiera pointed ahead to a structure barely visible through the trees, a stone tower rising above the canopy, bearing the Crimson Hawk insignia. "The outpost!"
They sprinted toward it, hope lending them speed. Behind them, trees crashed as something massive carved a path of destruction through the forest.
The outpost's gate stood open, two guild hunters standing guard with expressions of alarm. They raised their weapons as Lin Tian and Kiera approached.
"Independents!" one called in warning.
"Earthshaker coming!" Kiera shouted back. "Let us in!"
The guards exchanged glances, then stepped aside. "Get inside! We're sealing the perimeter!"
They dashed through the gate, which slammed shut behind them. Guild members rushed to activate defensive formations, spirit stones glowing as they powered protective barriers around the outpost's walls.
Lin Tian collapsed against a stone pillar, his momentary energy surge fading as quickly as it had come. The pain in his meridians returned, duller but persistent. The system flashed warnings about his unstable condition.
"What are independents doing this deep in the middle ring?" demanded a stern-faced woman wearing the insignia of a guild captain. "This area is restricted to D-rank and above."
"We were on the patrol path," Kiera explained, still catching her breath. "My friend had a... medical issue. We were heading back when the Earthshaker found us."
The captain's eyes narrowed as she examined Lin Tian, noting his glowing red eyes and the silver streaks in his hair. "That's no ordinary medical issue. Looks like a cultivation deviation or bloodline reaction." Her gaze sharpened. "You're that merchant. The one selling uncertified products."
Lin Tian met her gaze steadily. "My products are currently undergoing certification with Master Feng of the Alchemist Guild."
Before she could respond, the ground shook violently. A deafening roar rattled the stone walls as something massive circled the outpost.
"Secure positions!" the captain barked, attention diverted to the more immediate threat. "Archers to the walls! Barrier team, full power!"
Lin Tian dragged himself to a window, needing to see the creature that had hunted them. What he beheld stole his breath.
The Earthshaker Behemoth resembled a titanic bear crossed with an armadillo, its body covered in overlapping stone plates that shifted like living armor. Six legs supported its massive frame, each ending in claws that could shred steel. Its head housed a mouth full of crystalline teeth and three pairs of glowing yellow eyes that radiated malevolent intelligence.
"C-rank my ass," muttered a guild hunter nearby. "That's a B-rank if I ever saw one."
The behemoth circled the outpost, testing the barrier with massive paws. Each impact sent shudders through the stone structure despite the magical protections.
"It's hunting something specific," the captain observed, watching the creature's methodical movements. "Earthshakers don't usually approach outposts."
Her gaze fell on Lin Tian, eyes narrowing. "It's hunting you, isn't it? Something about your condition is attracting it."
Lin Tian accessed the system interface, seeking confirmation.
[Analysis: Earthshaker Behemoth]
[Behavior: Tracking Bloodline Energy Signature]
[Target: Host]
[Reason: Unknown Resonance]
"It might be," he admitted. "My... condition... seems to be emitting some kind of energy signature."
The captain cursed. "Perfect. An untrained merchant with an awakening bloodline, attracting apex predators to my outpost."
"Captain Liu!" called a guard from the wall. "Guild reinforcements approaching from the east! Looks like Officer Zhao's team!"
Lin Tian and Kiera exchanged glances. Zhao's arrival complicated matters significantly.
"Your friend needs medical attention," Kiera told the captain. "His meridians are unstable."
Captain Liu studied Lin Tian with grudging professional interest. "Our medic can stabilize him until we can evacuate. But you'll both answer questions once this situation is contained."
She led them to a small infirmary where a guild medic examined Lin Tian with glowing hands.
"Fascinating," the medic murmured. "His meridians were completely blocked, but something has partially reopened them. The energy flow is chaotic, though. Without stabilization, he could lose the breakthrough or suffer permanent damage."
"Can you help him?" Kiera asked.
"Temporarily." The medic prepared a concoction of herbs and powders. "This will suppress the energy fluctuations for a few hours. Enough to get him back to the city for proper treatment."
Lin Tian drank the bitter mixture, feeling it cool the fire in his veins. The system confirmed the effect.
[Temporary Stabilization Achieved]
[Energy Fluctuations: Suppressed]
[Duration: 6 Hours]
[Warning: Permanent Stabilization Still Required]
Outside, the sounds of combat erupted as the reinforcements engaged the Earthshaker. Explosions and roars shook the outpost's foundations.
"We should leave while they're distracted," Kiera whispered. "Zhao won't be happy to find us here."
Lin Tian nodded, rising from the examination table with renewed determination. "The outer ring is our best bet. If we can reach it, we can make for the exit."
They slipped from the infirmary while the guild members focused on the battle outside. A side door led to a secondary path that wound through the underbrush, away from the main conflict.
They had covered perhaps half a kilometer when shouts erupted behind them. Their absence had been discovered.
"Run," Lin Tian urged, pushing his body to its limits despite the medic's suppressant dulling his newfound energy.
They fled through the forest, guided by Kiera's experience and Lin Tian's system interface, which continuously calculated optimal paths. The sounds of pursuit faded as they crossed into the outer ring, the forest transitioning back to blue bioluminescence and less dense vegetation.
"Almost there," Kiera encouraged as the dungeon entrance appeared ahead, its shimmering energy visible through the trees.
They emerged from the forest to find the entrance area largely deserted. Most hunters had ventured deeper into the dungeon, leaving only a few guild officials monitoring the exit.
"Act casual," Lin Tian murmured as they approached the shimmering archway. "We're just independents returning from a routine expedition."
The officials barely glanced at them, more interested in their logbooks than two unremarkable hunters. They passed through the energy barrier without incident, reality shifting around them as they transitioned back to the normal world.
Night had fully claimed Azurecrest City, stars glittering overhead as they stumbled away from the dungeon entrance. Only when they'd put significant distance between themselves and any guild presence did they finally stop to rest.
"That," Kiera declared, leaning against a tree, "was not the simple reconnaissance mission you promised."
Lin Tian managed a weak smile. "Consider it product testing under extreme conditions."
"Your eyes are still glowing," she noted. "Less intensely, but noticeable in the dark."
He touched his face, feeling the lingering heat. "The medic's suppressant is working, but it's temporary. I need to stabilize this condition properly."
"What exactly happened in there?" Kiera asked. "One minute you were fine, the next you were having some kind of cultivation breakthrough that attracted a B-rank behemoth."
Lin Tian considered how much to reveal. Kiera had proven herself trustworthy, and he needed allies who understood his unique situation.
"I have a system," he explained, deciding on partial honesty. "It's called the God-Tier Shop System. It's how I create my products, among other functions. According to the system, I have some kind of bloodline that was dormant until the mana stream exposure triggered a partial awakening."
Kiera's eyes widened. "A system? Like in the ancient legends? And a bloodline too?" She shook her head in disbelief. "No wonder your products are superior. You're literally using lost technology."
"The bloodline part was unexpected," Lin Tian admitted. "The original Lin Tian—" He stopped, realizing his slip.
"Original?" Kiera's gaze sharpened. "What do you mean, 'original'?"
Lin Tian sighed.
"I'm not exactly the Lin Tian who grew up in this world. My consciousness was transferred here after I died in another world. I merged with the original Lin Tian, gaining his memories while retaining my own."
He expected disbelief, perhaps even fear. Instead, Kiera nodded slowly. "That explains the sudden personality change everyone's noticed. The old Lin Tian was a spoiled, incompetent wastrel. You're... something else entirely."
"You believe me? Just like that?"
She shrugged. "In a world with cultivation, dungeons, and magical beasts, is consciousness transfer really so strange? Besides, I've watched you these past days. You have knowledge no merchant heir should possess and skills the old Lin Tian never demonstrated."
Lin Tian felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Having someone who knew his secret, even part of it, was unexpectedly liberating.
"We should get you to a proper healer," Kiera said, returning to practical matters. "That suppressant won't last forever, and I'd rather not face another Earthshaker when it wears off."
"Not a healer," Lin Tian decided. "The system says I need specialized stabilization for this bloodline awakening. I think I know where to start looking."
The quest notification chimed, confirming their successful dungeon expedition.
[Quest Completed: Dungeon Baptism]
[Objective: Enter Northern Forest Dungeon and Return Safely ✓]
[Bonus Objective: Gather 3 Dungeon-Exclusive Materials ✓]
[Reward: Bloodline Resonance Test Unlocked]
[Additional Reward: Partial Meridian Restoration]
Lin Tian smiled despite his exhaustion. The dungeon expedition had been far more dangerous than anticipated, but also more rewarding. He'd gained partial cultivation ability, confirmed his products' effectiveness, and most importantly, taken the first step toward understanding his mysterious bloodline.
As they made their way back toward the city proper, Lin Tian's mind raced with possibilities. The shop system, his newly awakened bloodline, the partially restored meridians, each represented a path to power in this world of cultivation and commerce.
Crimson Hawk Guild might control the hunting supply market today, but their monopoly was living on borrowed time. Lin Tian had survived his first dungeon, awakened hidden potential, and gathered valuable materials. Each step brought him closer to his ultimate goal: a merchant empire that would transcend this world's limitations.
The system chimed one final notification as they reached the city gates.
[New Quest Generated: Bloodline Stabilization]
[Objective: Stabilize Awakened Bloodline within 24 Hours]
[Reward: Increased Meridian Restoration, Bloodline Skill Unlock]
[Failure: Potential Regression, System Limitation]