The lingering scent of ozone from the Red Potion's miracle hung in the air, a stark reminder of the incredible value he possessed—and the fact that the Crimson Dogs would soon be back, their greed amplified.
"I have to have a means to protect myself,"
Jaune muttered, pacing the narrow aisles of the store. His Flight Necklace was useful for evasion, but it wasn't a weapon.
The shelves were mocking him: the Taser Baton was 2 msc, and the Commoner's Garb he needed for a disguise was 1 msc.
His balance remained zero.
"I have zero coins, Ciel. What should I do?"
Jaune decided to ask his system companion directly, seeking a solution beyond the local economy.
[The host can take Missions from the shop. Missions are system-generated tasks intended solely for the Keeper of the store, offering at least Multiverse Copper Coins as a guaranteed reward. However, it is likely to be very dangerous for the Host currently, as these tasks require inter-dimensional travel and direct action. Does the Host still want to proceed?]
A grim determination settled on Jaune's face.
"I don't have any choice. They'll rob me blind if I'm not ready. Tell me about the missions first."
He didn't think about the risk much; he was dead once, and he was already in danger.
[Very well, here is the list of missions. To minimize initial risk, I will only present the easiest, lowest-level assignments.]
A holographic list materialized beside him, displaying two options:
Mission—Help a boy in need
Detail—Give a certain blond hair boy with whisker food before he starves to death.
Location—Ninja World
Reward—10 mcc
Mission—Protect a girl in trouble
Detail—Stop the girl from being bullied.
Location—Ninja World
Reward—10 mcc
"Ninja World? Do you mean I have to go to another world to do the mission?"
Jaune asked, a mixture of awe and panic in his voice. He knew the name of the store meant something, but seeing it laid out was jarring.
[Yes, the Host has to go to another world to complete Missions. These worlds are randomly selected based on the mission parameters. But worry not. Time in this world will stop the moment you depart. The thugs will not return until you are back.]
The revelation that he could pause time in Remnant offered the vital safety margin he needed.
He thought it through: missions were his path to currency, specifically mcc.
He realized the distinction: Missions could only be done by the shop keeper, while Jobs (like clearing the weeds) could only be done by customers for barter.
"Then tell me about the Ninja world first,"
Jaune requested. He wanted to know about the power structure and the threats he might face before stepping through a dimensional portal.
[The Ninja World is a realm defined by its practitioners of combat and stealth, known as Ninjas. They utilize a form of cultivated internal power akin to your world's Semblance, which they call ninjutsu.]
[Their energy source is called Chakra. Chakra is unlike Aura—which is based on the soul and willpower only. Chakra is based on a mixture of two energies: spiritual energy (derived from the soul) and physical energy (derived from the life force and body's vitality). This mixture allows them to perform feats ranging from walking on water to breathing fire, and they have strict social hierarchies based on combat prowess. Your target for both missions, though low-level, resides within a powerful, guarded hidden village...]
Ciel began to tell him everything she knew about the Ninja World and the context surrounding his two targets, preparing Jaune for his first journey into the infinite multiverse.