The morning sun spilled through Aion's window, painting his room . He stretched, mind already racing. If he truly wanted to run the shop, he would need Spirit Pet Beasts to draw in customers—and for that, a plan was forming. Simple pets, evolved carefully at minimal cost, could generate a steady stream of earnings. Smart in theory—but even the cleverest schemes demanded hundreds of thousands of coins.
His own strength, thankfully, was growing rapidly. Thanks to his talent, his level which has fall to 28 had jumped 33 in just two days (Rank 3 Original). Two pet slots still remained empty, but now he knew with shopand his talent he could get beasts of far higher potential. Hazel, already carrying Sovereign potential, would serve him well—but money was the real hurdle. At hand, he had only 10 Lunaris stalks, set aside for experimentation after learning their secrets through Origin Insight And when successful he can get intermediate breeder certification.
Deciding to earn quick money, Aion logged into the Spirit Web, a bustling network where anyone could post information for coin. He uploaded the video of the mysterious gate, setting the price at 50 Star Coins, and left a note: "Coordinates? Private message me."
Satisfied, he departed for his work at breeding bas. He checked on his pets, fed them carefully, and ensured their living spaces were in order. Then, he gathered materials for his experiment: five vials of Moonlight Dew, Grade 0, purchased to enhance the growth of his Lunaris herbs. Evening came, and back at home, he planted the herbs in his garden, sprinkling the dew over them. All that remained was to wait for moonlight to kiss the leaves.
With little else to do, he returned to the Spirit Web. His eyes widened. Thousands of views. 100,000 Star Coins earned from a single video. Some viewers mocked him, and trolls were busy casting their usual chaos—but Aion didn't care. The money problem had solved itself with barely a flicker of effort.
Then, a private message arrived. The offer made him lean closer: someone wanted the coordinates of the gate, and they were willing to pay a million Star Coins. The gate, he knew, led to the Secret Realm, far beyond his current strength. Rather than risk it, he decided to sell the information. Carefully, he crafted a reply, feigning ignorance, as if he were a simple bumpkin who "didn't know much about the gate."
The other party agreed—but only if he deleted the video. Aion shrugged, amused, and complied. A million Star Coins flowed into his account. He leaned back, smirking. Yes, he could have earned more—the Secret Realm's secrets were priceless—but a touch of greed could be dangerous. For now, time was his greatest ally. With patience, cleverness, and a little cunning, Aion would grow stronger… far stronger than anyone suspected.
With his purse finally heavy enough to take a
true step forward, Aion sat before the glow of the Spirit Web, eyes scanning through lines of postings Shops for rent, shops for sale—most far beyond his reach. Yet he scrolled patiently,
And then he found it.
A modest little shop, priced at two hundred thousand star coins, sitting only two streets away from where he lived. The image showed rows of shelves filled with pet food, jars of grain and dried meat stacked neatly, though the corners hinted at dust. Affordable. Close. And waiting.
Without hesitation, Aion reached out to the seller and he walked the narrow lane to find the shop in person.
The place looked ordinary enough, its wooden sign faintly worn, the scent of beast feed lingering in the air.
The owner stepped forward, a man in his mid-thirties with calm eyes and the presence of someone who had once walked with strength. Aion's gaze flickered, and with a thought he opened his Origin Insight. Letters of truth surfaced before him:
Rank 4 Beast Master – Level 42.
They spoke for a time, and Aion learned the man was leaving the city altogether, moving to distant lands and selling off what he no longer needed. The shop was simply a burden he wished to pass on.
The documents were laid upon the table, stamped and sealed with the Federation's mark. And just like that, Aion slid them into his hands—the transfer deed of the shop now his to keep.
And then he used his authority to bind the shop as a branch, the change was instant. Walls shimmered, shelves straightened, and the air itself seemed fresher. To outsiders, nothing had changed—the front looked just as plain and unassuming as before. But inside, the system's mark was carved deep.
The branch had fewer wonders than the original shop, but even these three functions were enough to make Aion's mind race with possibilities:
Origin Alchemy Hall – no longer a place of effortless creation, now it demanded both origin points and real materials, but the results promised richness in quality.
Spirit Nurturing Hall – not the legendary tenfold growth of the original, but still double the pace was something pet owners would dream of. Healing might not be its gift, but growth was treasure enough.
Mirage Pavilion – a stage of shadows, where a beast could spar against its own mirror-image or memories of past opponents. The illusions weren't as real as the original, but for training? More than enough.
And unlike the true shop, this branch could accept star coins. To the world, it would look like nothing more than a pet store with a few extra charms. To Aion, it was a quiet stream of origin points in disguise. Safe, practical, and just a touch mysterious.
He still had 800,000 star coins left in his pocket. Enough to buy some starting stock—herbs, beast feed, and perhaps a few young pet beasts to catch attention. With Hazel's healing gifts, he could even set aside a small chamber for aid and recovery, something the locals would value more than they knew.
Straightening his robes, Aion locked the shop behind him and made his way toward the Federation All-Spirit Branch, a place known for its endless rows of materials, glittering herbs, and spirit beats.