Congratulations! You died!
I stared at the screen in front of me with a conflicted expression on my face, not really sure how to feel about my current situation as I floated in an empty, white void.
Truth be told, I didn't know how I got to this place... I knew I had died, that much was made obvious by the screen floating in front of me. But when I tried to think about the details, or anything leading up to my supposed 'death,' I couldn't think of anything. It was as if the memories didn't exist.
I also tried to think of other things from my past, and I was in for a surprise when I realised that I couldn't remember specific things. I remembered I had friends, I had a family, and more. But when I tried to think of faces, names- even my own- everything was just completely blank.
It was frustrating, but I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down... Getting upset or angry wouldn't do anything, right now I had to gather information...
Based on what I could recall from various fanfiction, anime, and manga... This was likely the fabled Isekai situation. A second chance in another world... With a system to boot.
If I was going to live in another world, then I would have to play along with the system and see what benefits it gave me. I hoped it wasn't a useless system...
As you have no doubt noticed, you are missing memories and are unable to recall many things from your previous life- including the memory of your death. The reason for this in order to prevent emotional attachment and trauma. Names and faces have been removed, leaving you only aware of general knowledge, and solely information based things from your past life. This is irreversible.
I sighed... Everything I had about expected then, but whatever. What was done was done, I would focus on my future for now.
However, you are the lucky winner of our Isekai Lottery. You have been granted a second chance at life, with an all-powerful gamer system! However, the system differs in a few ways from some the host may remember.
Would you like to go through a system Tutorial?
"Yes," I agreed without hesitation. I needed to know what I was getting into.
This System, unlike others, does not have a traditional levelling System. Instead, you will have your skills and magical abilities- and even some perks and traits- each with a ranking system and proficiency. As you use the skills, they will gain proficiency and rank up. Once they are maxed out, depending on what it is, it may even evolve into a more powerful version of itself, or may undergo a different kind of evolution.
I hummed in thought... Right, I understood that so far. So, basically, training only honed my abilities. Unless I was sparing with someone or fighting something then I wouldn't really get any stronger.
That being said, levels do exist. Instead, you will have two main ways of Levelling: the Job System, and the Class System. The Job System is your profession, such as a Blacksmith or Alchemist or Tailor, primarily non-combat classes fall under this role.
The Class System are combat classes, with classes for you to choose from, such as: Illusionist, Martial Artist, Berserker, Ranger, Assassin, etc.
Jobs may be changed at any time; however, classes can only be changed once they reach Level 40. When you change a class, class-based skills will become double cost compared to normal to compensate.
Jobs level up by performing actions befitting of your class. So, a Blacksmith will obtain levels by creating weapons or armour, Alchemists evolve through transmutation of objects, Tailors through creating clothing, etc.
Classes, meanwhile, level up through two methods: first through training and using your Class Skills in a controlled environment, and also through combat with an enemy. You will level up faster if fighting against someone.
Hm... So, training would make me stronger, but it would be slower than fighting... In other words, it was the difference between training with no supplements and an unbalanced diet, and training with proper supplements and proper nutrition.
You may now choose your job!
[Merchant] [Blacksmith] [Alchemist] [Tailor] [Potter] [Enchanter]…
I looked over the list and slowly considered my options from among them.
I immediately- for the moment- removed considerations for jobs like Blacksmith, Alchemist, and Potter.
Weapons and the like could be obtained through other means, same with potions most likely- depending on what world I got- and Potter was just creating things like bowls and such.
Enchanter was more tempting... But I, for the moment, decided against it. I would definitely pick up this Job later on, but from the beginning it wasn't very good since I'd only be able to hold a single enchantment per item at a time- and they likely wouldn't be very durable.
After careful consideration, I decided I would go with the Merchant Job.
What was the most important thing in almost every world?
Money.
Money made the world go around.
Bribery was a thing for a reason. With enough money, there was literally nothing you couldn't do- even if it was illegal.
With no idea what world I was going to, becoming a merchant to make as much money as possible was my best choice.
You have chosen the Job [Merchant]!
You have obtained the Job Skill – Bartering (E).
You have obtained the Job Skill – Haggling (E).
You have obtained the Job Skill – Calculation (E).
You have obtained the Job Skill – Analyse (E).
You have obtained the Job Skill – Money Conversion.
I didn't need to read the skills to know what they did, though I still did.
Bartering was obviously for trading goods instead of money if I was low on it. Haggling was for if I wanted to try and lower prices. Calculation- obviously to help me do quick maths in my head without a calculator.
I did, however, get interested in both the Analyse and Money Conversion skills.
Job Skill – Analyse (E) (0.00%)
A Job Skill of the Merchant Job: Allows the user to see the basic status and value of people and items. Items will have brief descriptions explaining their use.
Job Skill – Money Conversion
A Skill of the Merchant Job: Allows the user to change any money to any other currency at will.
These were both very good skills.
Analyse was essentially the 'Observe' Skill that showed up in every fanfiction, allowing me to scan both people and items and see their stats. It would help me know if I was ripping someone off or getting ripped off myself and also let me know when to kiss ass and when to be a boss.
Money Conversion was also essential. It meant that I wouldn't have to worry when travelling from country to country, and needing to convert money... It would make things so much simpler.
A rare event is occurring!
My heart raced in my chest, eyes lighting up. A rare event... Could it be... A Special Job?
A sudden bout of luck has struck!
You have obtained the rare Specialised Job: Dimensional Merchant.
My eyes widened in shock, and I felt my breath get taken away…
"System, explain," I told it, breathless.
A Dimensional Merchant is a Merchant with a single shop that resides between worlds. Connections can be made between various worlds, resulting in numerous characters from various realities being able to visit and purchase things from the shop. The Shop has doors all over the worlds and can be opened and entered by potentially anyone. You never know who will show up!
Incredible...! I had prepared to be content with a single world... But now, multiple worlds would be available to me? That meant that, no matter what world I ended up in, I was still going to be absolutely golden!
Money Conversion had also just become perhaps my most important skill. Allowing me to convert my money regardless of the world I travelled to, saving me from needing to buy Gold from the System Store and then sell it in that world.
Due to obtaining a Specialised Job, the Multiversal Store has been unlocked!
Unlike the normal Gamer Store which can only purchase things from the reality you reside in, with this store you may purchase items from any reality without limitations! The only limit to what you can purchase is your own money!
Damn... This was even better! I could potentially pick up some broken items from one world and then use them to absolutely dominate another and take all the riches for myself...!
You have obtained the Job Skill – Dimensional Door.
You have obtained the Job Skill – Lord of the Shop.
You have obtained the Skill - Minor System Bestowment.
I even got more skills thanks to my Specialised Job?
Minor System Bestowment!?
Read, read, read!
Job Skill – Dimensional Door
A Skill of the Dimensional Merchant Job: Allows for doors to be created throughout the multiverse that others may travel through to reach the user's shop. The user may manually place doors down in worlds they have access to.
A very useful skill... By placing doors down manually, it meant that my shop would be able to stay in a stable location rather than just popping up in random places- even though it would continue to do that.
Job Skill – Lord of the Shop
A Skill of the Dimensional Merchant Job: Allows for the user to instantly teleport back to their shop at any time and allows them to receive notifications if people enter their shop while they are away. The user may kick out others and ban them from the shop, nobody may reside within the user's shop without their permission. Not even Gods.
I sighed in relief... This was a very important skill. Being able to kick others out of the shop and teleport back to my shop whenever I wanted? Priceless, if you asked me... Especially if some hellish enemy or monster found my shop and made its way in, being able to kick them out would allow me to remain safe.
Now, the big one...
Skill - Minor System Bestowment
A Special Skill reserved for Dimensional based Jobs: Allows the user to bestow a 'Minor' System onto others. This System contains the class and job systems, and the inventory. It also allows the user to check their own status and skills. It lacks several other vital functions of the 'True' System. Rare jobs cannot be obtained through the minor system.
I hummed in thought... This... Was potentially a game changer.
It was certainly a minor system compared to my own, even though I hadn't finished the tutorial. It meant that there were likely quite a few features that were excluded if even the System went out of its way to point it out. However, just the ability to see the status and skills would be more than enough for some people.
The worst part about training was that it took a long time to see your results. But with even a Minor System, suddenly you could see results in progress bars on skills and levels.
The Shop of a Dimensional Merchant has its own Level that increases with the user's own Merchant Level. You can find more details about the Shop later on.
Interesting... I presumed that meant that the Shop would have various upgrades in the future- such as more storage, better rooms, a larger foyer, etc... But I would only be able to obtain these upgrades as I increased my Merchant Level. It really did emphasize starting off slowly and working my way up bit by bit.
I would definitely need to make sure to not overextend or overreach though. The last thing I wanted was to attract unnecessary attention... Agh, I wish the System had let me choose my world first so that I could plan better... Instead, I had to work on guesswork and luck.
Still, I guess I shouldn't complain. I was getting a second chance at life, complaining felt tasteless given I doubted many others got this sort of luck.
Now that you have selected your job, it is time for you to choose a Class:
[Warrior] [Mage] [Rogue]
I gulped at the next daunting choice put before me.
And this one? It was a big one.