Chapter 2: The Weapon Seller
With the last shutter closed and the noise of the Imperial Capital fading into the distance, Kiara stood in the middle of her new shop. Dust drifted through the dim light, settling over the old shelves and neglected weapons. The wooden floor creaked beneath her boots, and the air carried the stale smell of rust and old timber.
Most people would have looked at this place and seen nothing worth saving. The shop was small, poorly maintained, and hidden in an alley where customers rarely ventured. Its weapons were ordinary, its reputation was nonexistent, and its previous owner had struggled to keep it running.
Kiara saw things differently.
A weapon smith did not judge a blade by the rust on its surface, and a strategist did not judge a battlefield by its appearance. Beneath the dust and decay, she saw the foundation of something she could build upon. She had lost almost everything once before, but she had not forgotten how to turn limited resources into an advantage.
"System, claim the reward."
The interface appeared before her eyes, and Kiara selected the gift box waiting in her inventory.
A brilliant light burst from the screen, filling the shop and washing over the weapons hanging on the walls. She narrowed her eyes as several notifications appeared one after another.
[Signboard acquired.]
[Android Assistant acquired.]
[Single Shot Pistol unlocked.]
[Bullet unlocked.]
Before she could examine the rewards, another glow gathered beside the counter. It spread across the floor, forming a human-shaped outline that gradually became solid. Metal joints took shape beneath synthetic skin, artificial muscles settled into place, and a handsome face emerged from the fading light.
When the glow disappeared, a young man stood in front of her.
His dark hair framed a pair of calm eyes, while his well-proportioned features gave him an almost unreal beauty. At first glance, he could easily pass for a human being, but closer inspection revealed something unusual about him. His posture was perfectly balanced, his movements were smooth without being careless, and even his breathing seemed carefully measured.
He looked less like someone born into the world and more like someone who had been designed to meet an impossible standard.
A new prompt appeared.
[Name the assistant.]
Kiara stared at the young man for several seconds. She had expected an android, but she had not expected the face standing before her to stir memories she had spent years trying to bury.
It was not an exact resemblance. The young man in front of her was taller, his features more mature, and his appearance far too perfect to belong to an ordinary person. Yet something in his eyes reminded her of the younger brother who used to wait for her messages late into the night, complaining whenever she forgot to eat or worked until morning.
She remembered his worried calls, his endless questions, and the way he had always insisted that she should take better care of herself.
Then everything had fallen apart.
She had never seen him again.
For a moment, the cold expression on her face weakened, and an ache settled deep in her chest. She lowered her gaze, refusing to let the memory linger longer than necessary.
"Zion," she said quietly.
The name carried more meaning than the android could understand, but it was the only one she wanted to give him.
His eyes brightened as the system accepted the name. He lowered his head with a respectful gesture.
"Greetings, Master."
Kiara studied him before speaking again.
"I named you after my younger brother," she explained. "From today onward, you're my family, Zion. In this world, I'm your Big Sister, and you're my little brother. That's who you are now."
The android raised his head.
"As you wish, Big Sister."
The words were simple, delivered in the same calm voice as before, yet Kiara felt an unexpected warmth spread through her chest. She knew he was artificial. His memories, emotions, and responses might all be products of the system, and she had no reason to believe he could truly replace the person she had lost.
Even so, hearing someone call her Big Sister again after so long made the empty shop feel a little less lonely.
She took a quiet breath and returned her attention to the system.
A status panel appeared before her.
Name: Zion
Spirit Path: Fighter
Rank: 4 (Intermediate)
Active Skills: Laser Eyes, Incineration, Lightning Fist
Passive Skill: Battle Craze
Kiara read through the information carefully, paying particular attention to his rank and skills.
"A Rank 4 Fighter with three active skills," she murmured. "Not bad for a starting guardian."
In the Imperial Capital, a Rank 4 fighter was already strong enough to earn respect. Most ordinary people would think twice before provoking someone of that level, and even some smaller merchant families would struggle to hire a personal guard with comparable abilities.
However, Kiara's standards came from a different world. She had once worked with advanced weapons, studied military technology, and witnessed how a single invention could change the outcome of an entire battle. Against that background, Zion's current strength was far from impressive.
"Still too weak."
[Earn credits to upgrade strength.]
Kiara glanced at the notification and gave a dry laugh.
"You don't waste any time reminding me, do you?"
The system offered no response.
She dismissed the message and opened the gallery.
A large interface unfolded before her, displaying rows of weapon designs. Swords and daggers appeared beside bows, rifles, and heavy firearms. Some designs were familiar, while others belonged to technologies she had never encountered. Most were covered by dark silhouettes, indicating that she had not yet unlocked them.
Kiara began with the ammunition section.
[9mm Bullet]
Price: 20 silver coins.
Her eyebrows rose.
"Twenty silver coins for a single bullet?"
She opened the next entry.
[Single Shot Pistol]
Price: 5 gold coins.
Effective Range: 10 meters.
Kiara folded her arms as she considered the prices. Five gold coins could support a commoner's family for months, depending on their circumstances. It could also buy several ordinary weapons from the neighboring shops. Asking that much for a pistol with an effective range of only ten meters would sound absurd to anyone who had spent their life fighting with swords and spears.
The system responded with a brief message.
[Rarity determines value. Prices are fair.]
"Convenient," Kiara muttered. "A merchant who sets his own prices and refuses to negotiate."
Still, she had around three hundred gold coins remaining after purchasing the shop. It was not enough to waste carelessly, but it gave her a small amount of breathing room while she figured out how to earn more.
She moved to the quest panel.
[Main Quest: Sell your first system weapon.]
Reward: Dismantling Skill.
[Select an owned object. Convert it into credits based on quality.]
Kiara read the description twice before looking toward the weapons left behind by the previous owner. Dusty swords, old spears, and worn sabers occupied the walls and racks. Most were ordinary goods with little value, and a few were in such poor condition that even a desperate customer might hesitate to buy them.
Her eyes brightened slightly.
"Now that's useful."
In her previous life, she had learned that discarded materials could still hold value. A damaged component could be repaired, broken equipment could provide spare parts, and an outdated design could become the starting point for something better. The same principle applied here. If the system could convert unwanted objects into credits, even the shop's neglected inventory might help her build a stronger foundation.
She returned to the gallery and selected the pistol.
Create: Single Shot Pistol.
Quantity: 1.
A moment later, the finished weapon appeared in her inventory.
Kiara summoned it into her hand and examined it closely. The cold metal settled against her palm, its familiar weight bringing back memories she had not expected to feel so strongly. She checked the grip, the balance, and the overall construction, her eyes moving over the weapon with the practiced attention of someone who understood what it meant to hold a tool designed for a single purpose.
For the first time since arriving in this world, she held something that felt truly familiar.
"This feels right," she whispered.
After a final inspection, she returned the pistol to her inventory and selected the signboard reward.
A new prompt appeared.
Change store name or keep current name?
"Change."
Enter store name.
Kiara remained silent for a moment. Several memories passed through her mind, each tied to the life she had lost and the project that had destroyed it. She remembered the people involved, the secrets hidden behind official reports, and the name that had connected them all.
"Nexus."
The word had once represented the center of a project that changed her life forever. It was a point where different systems met, where separate parts became connected, and where the smallest decision could affect everything around it.
The name was painful, but she had never been the kind of person who allowed the past to dictate what she could do with the future.
If Nexus had been the reason for her death, then she would give the name a new meaning.
The system accepted her choice.
A new signboard materialized on the floor beside her. Unlike the weathered board that had hung outside the shop, this one had a smooth, polished surface that looked far sturdier than ordinary wood. The word NEXUS stood across it in elegant lettering, with an emblem of two crossed pistols beneath the name.
Kiara picked it up and examined the craftsmanship.
"Much better."
Zion stood nearby, watching her without interrupting. He seemed content to wait for instructions, but Kiara found his quiet presence reassuring. Whatever else the system had given her, at least she would not have to face this unfamiliar world entirely alone.
She looked toward the entrance and then at the new signboard in her hands.
The shop still needed customers, and she had yet to make a single sale. Her weapons were limited, her funds were shrinking, and she had no influential family to support her. Nevertheless, the first steps had been taken.
"Everything is ready."
Kiara walked to the entrance and pulled the shutters open. The old hinges groaned as evening light poured into the shop, followed by a cool breeze carrying the smells of cooked meat, spices, and fresh bread from the nearby streets. Beyond the entrance, the Imperial Capital continued its usual evening bustle, with merchants calling out their final offers and pedestrians hurrying home before nightfall.
She looked at the crowded street, then down at the signboard.
In her previous life, she had created weapons for other people. Governments had used her work, criminals had sought to profit from it, and powerful organizations had treated her knowledge as something they could claim for themselves. In the end, the people she had served had decided that her life was an acceptable price for keeping their secrets buried.
She would never make that mistake again.
This time, she would decide who received her weapons. She would decide how her business grew and what price she demanded. If power could be bought, created, or earned, then she would find a way to obtain it without placing her fate in someone else's hands.
The shop might be small, but it was hers.
The future might be uncertain, but it belonged to her as well.
Kiara raised the signboard and fixed it above the entrance, where its polished surface caught the last rays of the setting sun.
"Welcome to Nexus."
Evening settled over the Imperial Capital, and lanterns began to glow along the commercial streets. Merchants packed away their goods, customers made their final purchases, and the smell of freshly cooked food drifted through the narrow alleys as the city slowly shifted into its nighttime rhythm.
A luxurious carriage rolled through the streets, pulled by four massive wolves. Their thick bodies moved with restrained power, and each heavy paw struck the stone road with a dull, steady thud. The beasts radiated the strength of Rank 4 magical creatures, enough to make pedestrians step aside without waiting for the driver to warn them.
Inside the carriage, a handsome young man rested against velvet cushions, casually adjusting the cuff of his sleeve. His clothes were elegant without being overly decorated, and his relaxed posture suggested that he was accustomed to receiving whatever he wanted. Across from him sat a young woman dressed in fine silk, her face hidden behind a veil.
She had been growing impatient with the journey, and the delay was beginning to show in her eyes.
"Stop," the young man said.
The driver immediately pulled the reins. The four wolves slowed and came to a halt, their ears twitching as they waited for the next command.
The veiled woman looked at him.
"What's wrong?"
He did not answer immediately. Instead, he leaned slightly toward the window, his gaze fixed on the entrance to a narrow alley ahead.
A new signboard hung above a shabby storefront. Its lettering glowed softly in the growing darkness, shifting through seven shades that moved from crimson to violet. Beneath the name was an unfamiliar emblem of two crossed pistols.
The young man read the name aloud.
"Nexus."
His eyes remained on the signboard as its colors changed again.
"Interesting. I've never seen a sign like that before."
The veiled woman followed his gaze. When she noticed the poor condition of the alley, she let out a dismissive laugh.
"It's probably some cheap trick to attract customers. Shops in places like this have to find unusual ways to survive."
The young man smiled faintly, but he showed no intention of looking away.
"Then I suppose I should see what they're selling."
She frowned behind her veil.
"You're seriously thinking of visiting a shop in that alley? We're already late, and there is nothing worth buying in a place like this."
"That makes it more interesting."
He settled back against the cushions, his expression calm but his eyes still carrying a trace of curiosity. He had seen countless businesses in the Imperial Capital, from the grand establishments serving noble families to the tiny stalls struggling to earn a few copper coins. Most were predictable, and their owners rarely offered anything he had not encountered before.
Yet the glowing signboard had caught his attention.
He wanted to know who had opened a weapon shop in such a neglected place, and why they had chosen such an unusual name.
"Take us there," he ordered.
The carriage turned into the alley, its large wheels rolling over the uneven stones. After a short distance, the driver climbed down to inspect the storefront. He returned moments later and bowed toward the carriage.
"It's a weapon shop, my lord."
The veiled woman laughed softly.
"A weapon shop? Then it must be full of old scrap. What a waste of time."
The young man ignored her remark. His gaze had returned to the signboard, and the faint smile on his face grew a little wider.
"Open the door."