Norian was on his phone until eleven in the morning. Then his stomach growled. He realized that he hadn't eaten anything for almost two days.
He checked his bank balance—the account he had connected to the system.
This was different from his usual one. It was a backup, a savings account the bullies didn't know about. He had opened it after realizing they would never leave him alone.
So, every now and then, he deposited money from his main account into this one, saving it for emergencies. Now, this backup had become his main. Since it was registered with the system, he wouldn't use the other anymore.
There were 10,000 ZTN in the account. That was what he'd managed to save through six months of hard work and constant sacrifice—living off cheap cup noodles and dried food.
Norian was glad he had been cautious enough to create a second account. He had once planned to buy gear for missions, but back then he was too consumed by self-pity to do anything.
His past self had been too pathetic—too cowardly to even stand up for himself. Shaking his head at the thought, he ordered some food, then returned to researching fruit shop locations.
The kind of shops where rich people bought fruits.
Drelmora was a city that wasn't flourishing, but it wasn't declining either. It stood stagnant, about 10,000 kilometers from the coastal city on the east side of the country.
Merchants traveling from the Solmyr Edge often stopped there to rest and trade goods before heading to the capital. Wealthy residents of Drelmora liked to buy exotic things from these traveling vendors. Goods from Solmyr Edge were especially prized in Natharilis because of their uniqueness.
Norian's target was one of those merchant dealerships supplying goods from Drelmora to the capital.
Fifty minutes later, his food arrived. He had already prepaid. He carried it inside and began eating—chicken chow mein and cold coffee. He hadn't tasted chow mein in six months.
For those six long months, his menu had been painfully limited: water, cup noodles, and ultra-dried fruits. Nothing else.
Norian ate with a sense of release and satisfaction. His hunger wasn't fully quenched, but the meal still left him content. After gulping down water, he was still a bit hungry, so he pulled some fruits from his inventory.
Just two or three were enough to fill him completely. He realized then just how much energy those fruits contained—and why the system had categorized them as [Common-Grade] [Tier 1].
When he was done, it was time.
Now he would finally step into the world of Dimension Walkers.
His heart raced with excitement. This had been his dream—one he never thought he'd achieve. Today, if everything went right, he would leave behind the ordinary world and enter the realm of true superhumans.
Becoming a Dimension Walker was the dream of billions, but only a select few ever succeeded. In Nitralis—or anywhere across eastern Veltaria—only rare individuals managed to cross that threshold.
Norian closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and sat in a lotus position with his hands on his knees. He repeated slow, steady breaths, calming his wandering thoughts.
It took fifteen minutes before his mind was steady enough. Then he accessed his inventory and pulled out a glowing orb.
It was silvery white, undulating like smoke, almost alive in its mystical glow. Norian gazed at the marble-sized orb in awe. Then, steadying himself, he pressed it against his glabella.
The moment he did, a chilling sensation rushed through his brain. The orb dissolved into his body.
Norian felt a torrent of information flooding into his mind, anchoring itself deep within his being.
The will of the world itself was implanting the Aether Manipulation Primer into his soul. He could not forget it—even if he wanted to.
It took him half an hour to organize everything that had poured into his mind. Detailed instructions. The steps to create an Aether Core. The dangers. The consequences of failure. If written on paper, it would easily fill a hundred pages.
When he had finally processed it all, Norian exhaled and centered himself. His eyes stayed closed as he pushed away stray thoughts. Any distraction now could cripple his future—or worse, ruin him for life.
The first step was to sense Aether in the air.
According to the Primer, Aether would appear like countless tiny sparkles scattered around him. Of course, at his current level, he couldn't truly see them.
That image was only a metaphor to help beginners grasp the concept. What he would actually feel was a prickling warmth across his skin.
Norian focused. And after a long struggle, he felt it—the faint prickling warmth.
As if a new world had opened before him, he could now sense countless sparkles all around.
The next step was harder: to draw those sparkles into his body with sheer will alone.
Every living thing contained Aether. It was as essential as blood itself. Without it, nothing could exist. Human bodies carried Aether too, but in a dormant state—locked within the blood.
To awaken it, natural Aether had to be drawn in and merged with one's own before it could flow through the Aether veins.
Norian concentrated. Slowly, the sparkles in the air drifted toward him. A prickling heat spread across his skin as they penetrated his body. To his surprise, it wasn't only the nearby Aether that responded, but even those farther away.
Sparkles from every corner of his room floated toward him, pouring inside.
Amazed, he held his focus, channeling the Aether into his blood vessels. For three hours, he worked relentlessly until he had gathered enough to reverse the flow againsthis blood flow.
It was needed so that the Life Aether inside Norian's blood comes out with it because of the reverse flow.
It was grueling, sweat dripping down his temples, but he didn't falter.
When he finally reversed the flow, he separated the natural Aether from his blood. The process was awkward at first—he kept losing focus—but eventually he found a rhythm.
Instead of spreading his focus across his entire body, he worked section by section, and the process grew easier. After channeling the Aether five full times in reverse, the natural Aether finally blended with his own.
His Ather veins no longer rejected it, it didn't hurt anymore if any Aether touched it. Another step complete.
Now came the third.
He willed the Aether to converge at his solar plexus.
Obediently, streams of Aether rushed from every direction—his head, arms, and legs—all colliding at the center of his body.
They slammed into each other, forming a spinning vortex. Norian used their momentum, guiding the rotation counterclockwise until the vortex stabilized.
It grew, spinning faster and faster, until it began drawing more Aether from outside.
For three hours he maintained it, carefully balancing the vortex, until it swelled to the size of a bowl. Any more, and it would collapse. He stopped drawing Aether in.
The hardest step remained: compressing the vortex into a core.
He braced himself for the pain. With gritted teeth, he forced the vortex inward. Agonizing pressure stabbed through his chest, as though thousands of needles pierced his organs.
He endured. For two endless hours, he compressed the Aether, sweating and trembling.
Finally, the vortex collapsed inward, leaving behind a white, transparent orb above his Aether center. A faint aura pulsed from it. The Aether Core was formed.
One final step remained: merging it with his Aether center.
It was the easiest yet most painful part. Once merged, the core would flood his veins with Aether, forcefully cleansing his body of impurities.
The process would last until his body fully adapted. If he fainted before it was done, his core could destabilize, crippling him permanently.
Norian exhaled, inhaled, and steeled his nerves.
Then he merged the orb.
"Guakh!!!"
The instant it connected, his body convulsed as a surge of Aether blasted through his veins. His spine arched, his teeth clenched, every muscle seizing in pain.
His Aether veins, thinner than a strand of hair, expanded violently as they struggled to contain the torrent. The Aether spread, retreated, then surged again, hammering through his body like waves.
Norian's whole body was in pain. He felt more pain in his head, especially his brain which felt like it might burst every time the Aether wave came crashing.
For an hour, the cycle repeated. Each wave widened his Aether veins, scouring impurities from his flesh.
Many time he felt like giving up, many time he felt he should stop this madness and just live like an ordinary person far from here.
But every time the memories of his parents leaving him relieved came crashing, people looking at him like he was a crush, a plague, a monster, he wanted to prove them wrong. And most importantly, he wanted to prove himself wrong.
His pathetic self that believed all that and stayed down enduring the torment and curses for years. He wants to look himself in the mirror and be proud of himself, not for a moment but for the rest of his life.
He wants to leave behind his past weakness and prove everyone wrong including himself.
So that's why-
'I MUST ENDURE!! I ENDURED ALL THAT SO THIS IS NOTHING!! I CAN DO IT!!'
Norian gritted his teeth and endured the intense pain that felt like his internal organs were melting.
Then the process stopped, the once black-and-blue Aether veins full of impurities now gleamed with a blue luster.
When it was over, system notifications filled his vision, but Norian ignored them. He collapsed backward, chest heaving. His head felt heavy, his mind drained.
He didn't know how long he had been in that focused state, but the exhaustion was unbearable.
Still, beneath it all, he felt light—free.
As if a massive weight had been lifted from him.
And then, at last, darkness claimed him.
=====
Norian woke up feeling refreshed — a clarity of mind he had never known before. He sat up, took a deep breath, and expected the room to smell fresh. Instead, a disgusting stench greeted his nose, fouler than the swamp.
"Guakh!!"
He gagged, clamping a hand over his mouth and nose.
Looking down at his skin, he saw black, murky residue crusted across his body — the impurities his Aether had purged.
Most of it had burned away he ate the Forest God's Grace but enough remained to be purged by Aether. Norian sprang from the floor and headed straight for the bathroom.
He showered for an hour, scrubbing with shampoo and body wash until the smell finally faded. He washed his clothes repeatedly as well.
Even after he cleaned everything, a faint odor lingered in the room, so he wiped surfaces and sprayed room freshener until it was bearable.
Norian collapsed back on the bed and felt lighter for the first time in a long while.
With the smell gone, he could actually breathe. He looked out the window: it was night. He reached for his phone by the pillow and saw the time — 2:00 a.m.
He had begun forming his Aether core around noon; nearly fourteen hours had passed.
He didn't know if his speed was impressive or average — there weren't many other Walkers in his continent to compare with.
Still, he debated whether to go out now to sell the fruits. The merchant vendors he planned to visit operated 24/7, so the hour wasn't an issue. In the end, he decided to go; even without a mission assigned, he needed money.
Better to be prepared in case the world pulled him into another Dimension again.
He wasn't tired — if anything, he felt better than before. Suddenly, Norian stood, walked to the balcony, and squinted into the night.
Something hit him: his vision was sharper. He could see distant houses clearly under the moonlight, details he'd never noticed before.
Sounds were clearer too — people snoring, dogs barking far off, the thin hum of the city. His hearing had improved.
He flexed his fingers and felt a new control over his body.
"I see, so this is what it feels like to be a Dimension Walker... not bad~ not bad~."
Norian wandered. But most fascinating thing wasn't that, there was the warm hum in his solar plexus — the sign that he had become a Dimension Walker. He smiled faintly, closed his eyes, and turned his attention inward to his Aether center.
He saw the transparent Aether core pulsing gently; his Aether veins showed no cracks or damage and glowed with a light blue luster.
Aether veins were almost a legend to normal scientists. In the recent years, 233 years ago to be exact, some scientists dissected a human body and put the veins under a microscope.
Researchers baffled by what they saw. They documented that, they were sure they were looking at something but couldn't comprehend what it was. Like something was blocking them from understanding.
The Walkers of this continent made statement that the world's will blocked mortal minds from fully comprehending Aether. Since these mortals failed to become a Dimension Walker, they lost the right to know about it.
Now Norian understood why — it wasn't spite; it was protection. Only those who stepped into the world of Dimension Walkers could perceive its secrets.
Thinking of that made him feel privileged and energized. He closed the balcony door, grabbed his phone, pulled on shoes, snatched his keys, and locked the door. Time to do business — time to get rich.
=====
The first target was the Akram Eastern Merchant Group. It was a fairly well-known merchant group in the country, specializing in trading exotic goods. They shipped products from Solmyr Edge all the way to Zetharilis.
Although they might not be that influential in the capital, in a rural area like this they were considered a local luxury brand. They had their own products, as well as exclusive shipping rights for others.
Norian hoped he could land a deal with them because they catered to many wealthy customers.
Norian quickly reached the station.
He walked, not because he wanted to, but because he had to. The laws strictly forbade the use of powers within local areas, and with constant surveillance, if he tried hopping from building to building it would be disastrous.
The police would be after him in no time. So he could do nothing but suck it up and suppress the urge to do ninja-style leaps across rooftops. Norian felt it was a great regret, but he had no choice.
He boarded the train. The car was empty; no one traveled at this hour. Only one or two people ever did — night-shift workers, the occasional drunk, or someone like him with business to attend to at odd hours.
'Wait, no. I'm not wandering aimlessly.'
Norian thought, nodding to himself.
' I'm going on a mission to get rich. I have purpose. I may be unemployed, but I'm not without a goal.'
He kept nodding, self-assuring himself that he wasn't just another ambitious failure like those who never succeeded.
He would succeed. His deal was solid, his product unique. He had to succeed. Still, he felt a nervous flutter — he had never spoken to anyone about business before.
He was the type to accept whatever people proposed without question. Even when he got jumped, he never bargained, never demanded fairness.
He had always feared that if people stayed around him too long, his curse might affect them.
Norian realized just how much his thought process had been shaped by others — by how they treated him. He couldn't change the past, but he could change the future by acting now. He steeled his heart.
The train screeched to a halt at Drelmora City station. Even at this early hour, the city bustled — not with citizens, most of whom were asleep, but with merchants, vendors, and tourists looking for hotels.
The plaza was dotted with tired faces and busy hands, though the streets were nowhere near as crowded as during the day.
The plaza had sixteen paths branching outward. Norian walked straight ahead, heading in the direction his map displayed. He didn't bother with a cab. He didn't need to — the merchant group's building was close.
Drelmora itself was vast, about 3,800 kilometers in diameter, though still small compared to the Capital. Regardless, Norian's newly formed Aether core gave him heightened control of his body.
Even though he walked casually, a normal person would have had to jog just to keep pace with him.
Fifteen minutes later, he had covered three kilometers, navigating alleys, side streets, and shortcuts while checking the map on his phone.
Finally, he stopped in front of a three-story building painted gold. On the nameplate above the entrance, it read: Akram Eastern Merchant Group
Norian took a deep breath, calmed his nerves, and stepped forward.
The doors opened automatically, revealing a luxuriously decorated interior. The lobby was grand, with a waiting area vast enough to accommodate dozens, though now it stood empty.
Staircases led up both sides toward the second and third floors, flanking a central reception booth. The white marble floor gleamed under the lights.
Norian walked to the receptionist.
"How can I help you, sir?"
The receptionist asked politely.
Norian was nervous, but he hid it well.
"I want to sell a few things. Can you help me with that?"
The receptionist blinked in surprise, studied Norian for a few seconds, then nodded.
"What would you like to sell today, sir?"
"I would like to sell fruits … from another planet."
The receptionist's eyes widened.
"Do you mean…?"
"Yes. I'm a Walker,"
Norian confirmed. He pulled a fruit from his inventory — the blueberry he had examined earlier.
He had already sorted through all the different sizes of the fruit. The system didn't distinguish much between them; they were all graded as [Common Grade] [Tier 1], with prices varying only slightly depending on size.
The average was around 250 AetherCred, and the maximum 265.
That meant about 15,000 ZTN at best. But Norian wanted more. If this group wouldn't pay, he would move on to another. He couldn't afford to wait for trade center sales — those took too long.
The receptionist eyed the fruit skeptically. Norian expected as much and began his pitch.
"This fruit may look ordinary, but the system graded it as [Common Grade] [Tier 1]. I think you understand what that means. But before we talk price, let me explain the system's description."
He held up the fruit.
"This blueberry contains Aether. For normal people like you, who aren't Walkers, that's extremely valuable. Even for me, a Walker, just two or three fruits can fill me completely while giving immense nutrition. Beyond that, it strengthens internal organs and even beautifies you. Look at me. I've been eating them for months."
Norian flashed a grin, baring teeth that gleamed like pearls.
"See these? No paste could make them shine like this."
The receptionist nodded slowly, clearly calculating the potential.
"But that's not even the main reason these fruits are graded [Tier 1],"
Norian continued.
"It's their taste. I've eaten them for months, and they still amaze me. This blueberry tastes like… an apple."
The receptionist blinked.
"Not just any apple,"
Norian pressed,
"but one sweeter than nectar, bursting with flavor. The moment you bite into it, it dissolves in your mouth, leaving a heavenly aftertaste. Eat one, and you won't need mouth freshener for hours. So, think carefully about this offer. This could be a deal we both profit from."
The receptionist's eyes locked onto the fruit. Norian took that as a good sign. But then the man frowned.
"I understand the system says it's [Common-Grade] [Tier-1]… but how do we know? We aren't Walkers."
"Don't you have a system-linked appraisal device?"
Norian asked.
"We do, but we only use it for exclusive, high-value items."
"Well, then treat this as one,"
Norian countered.
"You won't find this taste or these benefits anywhere else."
The receptionist still hesitated.
Norian leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"Listen man, I'll be blunt. This fruit tastes so good that anyone who tries it will never forget it. And it's not just taste — it improves health. Imagine selling this to a wealthy client. With the right branding, you can name your price. Call it exotic, call it rare, and they'll buy. Best part? I'm the only supplier. That means you control the market. Limited supply, inflated price — pure profit. What do you say?"
Still, the receptionist hesitated. Norian realized why: he had no way to prove authenticity. For a normal person without access to the system, his words alone meant little.
"Fine,"
Norian said at last.
"Let's do this differently. Buy this one blueberry and eat it yourself. Decide firsthand if it's worth your attention. Fair?"
The receptionist thought for a moment, then nodded.
"How much?"
Norian smiled.
"According to the system, 12,500 ZTN. But since I respect your group, I'll give it to you for only 5,000 ZTN. Pay now, taste it, and see the truth yourself."
"5,000 ZTN? That's too much!"
The receptionist recoiled.
"It's not too much if you think about the profit you'll make later. And to be fair, if it doesn't taste as I describe, I'll refund half your money. How's that?"
This time, the man nodded. He reached for the fruit, but Norian pulled it back.
"Payment first."
The receptionist hesitated, then sighed and pulled out his phone. Company funds couldn't be risked without proof, so he used his personal account. They scanned the QR code, and Norian's balance jumped. Smiling, he handed over the fruit.
"You don't need to wash it. The Aether inside prevents it from getting dirty,"
Norian explained as the receptionist inspected it.
The man nodded and popped the blueberry into his mouth.
The instant he bit down, his eyes widened. Flavor exploded on his tongue — richer, sweeter, more heavenly than any explanation could capture. His fatigue melted away, tension dissolved, and warmth spread through his body. He felt light, energized, blissful.
Norian, watching the balance on his phone rise to 14,585 ZTN.
' Hehe~ I made so much money just from few talking. I wonder how much I can squeeze out of this dude before going home. I need to do better then this.'
Norian thought as he looked at his balance. He wasn't as nervous anymore. His words flowed naturally and reasoning formed instantaneously.
'It must be because my Equanimity is at [F-Grade]. Or else there is no way I could have conversation of this level with my level of intelligence.'
Norian was aware of his own intelligence before his stats increased. He was dumb. He wasn't good with words. He can start a conversation, mess up and later regret thinking about it because he could have said many better things or acted better.
But now those things are happening naturally so Norian's mood became even more good. Who wouldn't be knowing the fact that they are smart?
Norian pit his phone inside his pocket and looked up. His eyes narrowed instantly.
'What the fuck? Is this guy having foodgasim? What's with that face? Don't tell me this guy awakened some weird fetish…'
Still, he supposed the fruit's taste was strong enough to justify such a reaction.
When the receptionist finally jolted back to reality, wiping drool from his mouth, Norian asked,
"So? Ready for the deal?"
The man smiled, his excitement obvious.
"Yes. Let's talk business. I think this will be one of our star products of the month — maybe even the year."
He was already imagining his commission. Norian smiled. It was finally time to get out of his poverty. He could feel his heart beat with excitement and anticipation of the future.
But one thing is sure that he is going to make sure he gets enough money to not only buy gears but also indulge a little. Norian licked his lips as he eyed the receptionist like a pry.
The receptionist suddenly felt a chill as he was daydreaming, but wait! It was night time, so he must have been dreaming. He looked at Norian who was smiling innocently.
'Eup! I must have been dreaming.'
Norian was on his phone until eleven in the morning. Then his stomach growled. He realized that he hadn't eaten anything for almost two days.
He checked his bank balance—the account he had connected to the system.
This was different from his usual one. It was a backup, a savings account the bullies didn't know about. He had opened it after realizing they would never leave him alone.
So, every now and then, he deposited money from his main account into this one, saving it for emergencies. Now, this backup had become his main. Since it was registered with the system, he wouldn't use the other anymore.
There were 10,000 ZTN in the account. That was what he'd managed to save through six months of hard work and constant sacrifice—living off cheap cup noodles and dried food.
Norian was glad he had been cautious enough to create a second account. He had once planned to buy gear for missions, but back then he was too consumed by self-pity to do anything.
His past self had been too pathetic—too cowardly to even stand up for himself. Shaking his head at the thought, he ordered some food, then returned to researching fruit shop locations.
The kind of shops where rich people bought fruits.
Drelmora was a city that wasn't flourishing, but it wasn't declining either. It stood stagnant, about 10,000 kilometers from the coastal city on the east side of the country.
Merchants traveling from the Solmyr Edge often stopped there to rest and trade goods before heading to the capital. Wealthy residents of Drelmora liked to buy exotic things from these traveling vendors. Goods from Solmyr Edge were especially prized in Natharilis because of their uniqueness.
Norian's target was one of those merchant dealerships supplying goods from Drelmora to the capital.
Fifty minutes later, his food arrived. He had already prepaid. He carried it inside and began eating—chicken chow mein and cold coffee. He hadn't tasted chow mein in six months.
For those six long months, his menu had been painfully limited: water, cup noodles, and ultra-dried fruits. Nothing else.
Norian ate with a sense of release and satisfaction. His hunger wasn't fully quenched, but the meal still left him content. After gulping down water, he was still a bit hungry, so he pulled some fruits from his inventory.
Just two or three were enough to fill him completely. He realized then just how much energy those fruits contained—and why the system had categorized them as [Common-Grade] [Tier 1].
When he was done, it was time.
Now he would finally step into the world of Dimension Walkers.
His heart raced with excitement. This had been his dream—one he never thought he'd achieve. Today, if everything went right, he would leave behind the ordinary world and enter the realm of true superhumans.
Becoming a Dimension Walker was the dream of billions, but only a select few ever succeeded. In Nitralis—or anywhere across eastern Veltaria—only rare individuals managed to cross that threshold.
Norian closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and sat in a lotus position with his hands on his knees. He repeated slow, steady breaths, calming his wandering thoughts.
It took fifteen minutes before his mind was steady enough. Then he accessed his inventory and pulled out a glowing orb.
It was silvery white, undulating like smoke, almost alive in its mystical glow. Norian gazed at the marble-sized orb in awe. Then, steadying himself, he pressed it against his glabella.
The moment he did, a chilling sensation rushed through his brain. The orb dissolved into his body.
Norian felt a torrent of information flooding into his mind, anchoring itself deep within his being.
The will of the world itself was implanting the Aether Manipulation Primer into his soul. He could not forget it—even if he wanted to.
It took him half an hour to organize everything that had poured into his mind. Detailed instructions. The steps to create an Aether Core. The dangers. The consequences of failure. If written on paper, it would easily fill a hundred pages.
When he had finally processed it all, Norian exhaled and centered himself. His eyes stayed closed as he pushed away stray thoughts. Any distraction now could cripple his future—or worse, ruin him for life.
The first step was to sense Aether in the air.
According to the Primer, Aether would appear like countless tiny sparkles scattered around him. Of course, at his current level, he couldn't truly see them.
That image was only a metaphor to help beginners grasp the concept. What he would actually feel was a prickling warmth across his skin.
Norian focused. And after a long struggle, he felt it—the faint prickling warmth.
As if a new world had opened before him, he could now sense countless sparkles all around.
The next step was harder: to draw those sparkles into his body with sheer will alone.
Every living thing contained Aether. It was as essential as blood itself. Without it, nothing could exist. Human bodies carried Aether too, but in a dormant state—locked within the blood.
To awaken it, natural Aether had to be drawn in and merged with one's own before it could flow through the Aether veins.
Norian concentrated. Slowly, the sparkles in the air drifted toward him. A prickling heat spread across his skin as they penetrated his body. To his surprise, it wasn't only the nearby Aether that responded, but even those farther away.
Sparkles from every corner of his room floated toward him, pouring inside.
Amazed, he held his focus, channeling the Aether into his blood vessels. For three hours, he worked relentlessly until he had gathered enough to reverse the flow againsthis blood flow.
It was needed so that the Life Aether inside Norian's blood comes out with it because of the reverse flow.
It was grueling, sweat dripping down his temples, but he didn't falter.
When he finally reversed the flow, he separated the natural Aether from his blood. The process was awkward at first—he kept losing focus—but eventually he found a rhythm.
Instead of spreading his focus across his entire body, he worked section by section, and the process grew easier. After channeling the Aether five full times in reverse, the natural Aether finally blended with his own.
His Ather veins no longer rejected it, it didn't hurt anymore if any Aether touched it. Another step complete.
Now came the third.
He willed the Aether to converge at his solar plexus.
Obediently, streams of Aether rushed from every direction—his head, arms, and legs—all colliding at the center of his body.
They slammed into each other, forming a spinning vortex. Norian used their momentum, guiding the rotation counterclockwise until the vortex stabilized.
It grew, spinning faster and faster, until it began drawing more Aether from outside.
For three hours he maintained it, carefully balancing the vortex, until it swelled to the size of a bowl. Any more, and it would collapse. He stopped drawing Aether in.
The hardest step remained: compressing the vortex into a core.
He braced himself for the pain. With gritted teeth, he forced the vortex inward. Agonizing pressure stabbed through his chest, as though thousands of needles pierced his organs.
He endured. For two endless hours, he compressed the Aether, sweating and trembling.
Finally, the vortex collapsed inward, leaving behind a white, transparent orb above his Aether center. A faint aura pulsed from it. The Aether Core was formed.
One final step remained: merging it with his Aether center.
It was the easiest yet most painful part. Once merged, the core would flood his veins with Aether, forcefully cleansing his body of impurities.
The process would last until his body fully adapted. If he fainted before it was done, his core could destabilize, crippling him permanently.
Norian exhaled, inhaled, and steeled his nerves.
Then he merged the orb.
"Guakh!!!"
The instant it connected, his body convulsed as a surge of Aether blasted through his veins. His spine arched, his teeth clenched, every muscle seizing in pain.
His Aether veins, thinner than a strand of hair, expanded violently as they struggled to contain the torrent. The Aether spread, retreated, then surged again, hammering through his body like waves.
Norian's whole body was in pain. He felt more pain in his head, especially his brain which felt like it might burst every time the Aether wave came crashing.
For an hour, the cycle repeated. Each wave widened his Aether veins, scouring impurities from his flesh.
Many time he felt like giving up, many time he felt he should stop this madness and just live like an ordinary person far from here.
But every time the memories of his parents leaving him relieved came crashing, people looking at him like he was a crush, a plague, a monster, he wanted to prove them wrong. And most importantly, he wanted to prove himself wrong.
His pathetic self that believed all that and stayed down enduring the torment and curses for years. He wants to look himself in the mirror and be proud of himself, not for a moment but for the rest of his life.
He wants to leave behind his past weakness and prove everyone wrong including himself.
So that's why-
'I MUST ENDURE!! I ENDURED ALL THAT SO THIS IS NOTHING!! I CAN DO IT!!'
Norian gritted his teeth and endured the intense pain that felt like his internal organs were melting.
Then the process stopped, the once black-and-blue Aether veins full of impurities now gleamed with a blue luster.
When it was over, system notifications filled his vision, but Norian ignored them. He collapsed backward, chest heaving. His head felt heavy, his mind drained.
He didn't know how long he had been in that focused state, but the exhaustion was unbearable.
Still, beneath it all, he felt light—free.
As if a massive weight had been lifted from him.
And then, at last, darkness claimed him.
=====
Norian woke up feeling refreshed — a clarity of mind he had never known before. He sat up, took a deep breath, and expected the room to smell fresh. Instead, a disgusting stench greeted his nose, fouler than the swamp.
"Guakh!!"
He gagged, clamping a hand over his mouth and nose.
Looking down at his skin, he saw black, murky residue crusted across his body — the impurities his Aether had purged.
Most of it had burned away he ate the Forest God's Grace but enough remained to be purged by Aether. Norian sprang from the floor and headed straight for the bathroom.
He showered for an hour, scrubbing with shampoo and body wash until the smell finally faded. He washed his clothes repeatedly as well.
Even after he cleaned everything, a faint odor lingered in the room, so he wiped surfaces and sprayed room freshener until it was bearable.
Norian collapsed back on the bed and felt lighter for the first time in a long while.
With the smell gone, he could actually breathe. He looked out the window: it was night. He reached for his phone by the pillow and saw the time — 2:00 a.m.
He had begun forming his Aether core around noon; nearly fourteen hours had passed.
He didn't know if his speed was impressive or average — there weren't many other Walkers in his continent to compare with.
Still, he debated whether to go out now to sell the fruits. The merchant vendors he planned to visit operated 24/7, so the hour wasn't an issue. In the end, he decided to go; even without a mission assigned, he needed money.
Better to be prepared in case the world pulled him into another Dimension again.
He wasn't tired — if anything, he felt better than before. Suddenly, Norian stood, walked to the balcony, and squinted into the night.
Something hit him: his vision was sharper. He could see distant houses clearly under the moonlight, details he'd never noticed before.
Sounds were clearer too — people snoring, dogs barking far off, the thin hum of the city. His hearing had improved.
He flexed his fingers and felt a new control over his body.
"I see, so this is what it feels like to be a Dimension Walker... not bad~ not bad~."
Norian wandered. But most fascinating thing wasn't that, there was the warm hum in his solar plexus — the sign that he had become a Dimension Walker. He smiled faintly, closed his eyes, and turned his attention inward to his Aether center.
He saw the transparent Aether core pulsing gently; his Aether veins showed no cracks or damage and glowed with a light blue luster.
Aether veins were almost a legend to normal scientists. In the recent years, 233 years ago to be exact, some scientists dissected a human body and put the veins under a microscope.
Researchers baffled by what they saw. They documented that, they were sure they were looking at something but couldn't comprehend what it was. Like something was blocking them from understanding.
The Walkers of this continent made statement that the world's will blocked mortal minds from fully comprehending Aether. Since these mortals failed to become a Dimension Walker, they lost the right to know about it.
Now Norian understood why — it wasn't spite; it was protection. Only those who stepped into the world of Dimension Walkers could perceive its secrets.
Thinking of that made him feel privileged and energized. He closed the balcony door, grabbed his phone, pulled on shoes, snatched his keys, and locked the door. Time to do business — time to get rich.
=====
The first target was the Akram Eastern Merchant Group. It was a fairly well-known merchant group in the country, specializing in trading exotic goods. They shipped products from Solmyr Edge all the way to Zetharilis.
Although they might not be that influential in the capital, in a rural area like this they were considered a local luxury brand. They had their own products, as well as exclusive shipping rights for others.
Norian hoped he could land a deal with them because they catered to many wealthy customers.
Norian quickly reached the station.
He walked, not because he wanted to, but because he had to. The laws strictly forbade the use of powers within local areas, and with constant surveillance, if he tried hopping from building to building it would be disastrous.
The police would be after him in no time. So he could do nothing but suck it up and suppress the urge to do ninja-style leaps across rooftops. Norian felt it was a great regret, but he had no choice.
He boarded the train. The car was empty; no one traveled at this hour. Only one or two people ever did — night-shift workers, the occasional drunk, or someone like him with business to attend to at odd hours.
'Wait, no. I'm not wandering aimlessly.'
Norian thought, nodding to himself.
' I'm going on a mission to get rich. I have purpose. I may be unemployed, but I'm not without a goal.'
He kept nodding, self-assuring himself that he wasn't just another ambitious failure like those who never succeeded.
He would succeed. His deal was solid, his product unique. He had to succeed. Still, he felt a nervous flutter — he had never spoken to anyone about business before.
He was the type to accept whatever people proposed without question. Even when he got jumped, he never bargained, never demanded fairness.
He had always feared that if people stayed around him too long, his curse might affect them.
Norian realized just how much his thought process had been shaped by others — by how they treated him. He couldn't change the past, but he could change the future by acting now. He steeled his heart.
The train screeched to a halt at Drelmora City station. Even at this early hour, the city bustled — not with citizens, most of whom were asleep, but with merchants, vendors, and tourists looking for hotels.
The plaza was dotted with tired faces and busy hands, though the streets were nowhere near as crowded as during the day.
The plaza had sixteen paths branching outward. Norian walked straight ahead, heading in the direction his map displayed. He didn't bother with a cab. He didn't need to — the merchant group's building was close.
Drelmora itself was vast, about 3,800 kilometers in diameter, though still small compared to the Capital. Regardless, Norian's newly formed Aether core gave him heightened control of his body.
Even though he walked casually, a normal person would have had to jog just to keep pace with him.
Fifteen minutes later, he had covered three kilometers, navigating alleys, side streets, and shortcuts while checking the map on his phone.
Finally, he stopped in front of a three-story building painted gold. On the nameplate above the entrance, it read: Akram Eastern Merchant Group
Norian took a deep breath, calmed his nerves, and stepped forward.
The doors opened automatically, revealing a luxuriously decorated interior. The lobby was grand, with a waiting area vast enough to accommodate dozens, though now it stood empty.
Staircases led up both sides toward the second and third floors, flanking a central reception booth. The white marble floor gleamed under the lights.
Norian walked to the receptionist.
"How can I help you, sir?"
The receptionist asked politely.
Norian was nervous, but he hid it well.
"I want to sell a few things. Can you help me with that?"
The receptionist blinked in surprise, studied Norian for a few seconds, then nodded.
"What would you like to sell today, sir?"
"I would like to sell fruits … from another planet."
The receptionist's eyes widened.
"Do you mean…?"
"Yes. I'm a Walker,"
Norian confirmed. He pulled a fruit from his inventory — the blueberry he had examined earlier.
He had already sorted through all the different sizes of the fruit. The system didn't distinguish much between them; they were all graded as [Common Grade] [Tier 1], with prices varying only slightly depending on size.
The average was around 250 AetherCred, and the maximum 265.
That meant about 15,000 ZTN at best. But Norian wanted more. If this group wouldn't pay, he would move on to another. He couldn't afford to wait for trade center sales — those took too long.
The receptionist eyed the fruit skeptically. Norian expected as much and began his pitch.
"This fruit may look ordinary, but the system graded it as [Common Grade] [Tier 1]. I think you understand what that means. But before we talk price, let me explain the system's description."
He held up the fruit.
"This blueberry contains Aether. For normal people like you, who aren't Walkers, that's extremely valuable. Even for me, a Walker, just two or three fruits can fill me completely while giving immense nutrition. Beyond that, it strengthens internal organs and even beautifies you. Look at me. I've been eating them for months."
Norian flashed a grin, baring teeth that gleamed like pearls.
"See these? No paste could make them shine like this."
The receptionist nodded slowly, clearly calculating the potential.
"But that's not even the main reason these fruits are graded [Tier 1],"
Norian continued.
"It's their taste. I've eaten them for months, and they still amaze me. This blueberry tastes like… an apple."
The receptionist blinked.
"Not just any apple,"
Norian pressed,
"but one sweeter than nectar, bursting with flavor. The moment you bite into it, it dissolves in your mouth, leaving a heavenly aftertaste. Eat one, and you won't need mouth freshener for hours. So, think carefully about this offer. This could be a deal we both profit from."
The receptionist's eyes locked onto the fruit. Norian took that as a good sign. But then the man frowned.
"I understand the system says it's [Common-Grade] [Tier-1]… but how do we know? We aren't Walkers."
"Don't you have a system-linked appraisal device?"
Norian asked.
"We do, but we only use it for exclusive, high-value items."
"Well, then treat this as one,"
Norian countered.
"You won't find this taste or these benefits anywhere else."
The receptionist still hesitated.
Norian leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"Listen man, I'll be blunt. This fruit tastes so good that anyone who tries it will never forget it. And it's not just taste — it improves health. Imagine selling this to a wealthy client. With the right branding, you can name your price. Call it exotic, call it rare, and they'll buy. Best part? I'm the only supplier. That means you control the market. Limited supply, inflated price — pure profit. What do you say?"
Still, the receptionist hesitated. Norian realized why: he had no way to prove authenticity. For a normal person without access to the system, his words alone meant little.
"Fine,"
Norian said at last.
"Let's do this differently. Buy this one blueberry and eat it yourself. Decide firsthand if it's worth your attention. Fair?"
The receptionist thought for a moment, then nodded.
"How much?"
Norian smiled.
"According to the system, 12,500 ZTN. But since I respect your group, I'll give it to you for only 5,000 ZTN. Pay now, taste it, and see the truth yourself."
"5,000 ZTN? That's too much!"
The receptionist recoiled.
"It's not too much if you think about the profit you'll make later. And to be fair, if it doesn't taste as I describe, I'll refund half your money. How's that?"
This time, the man nodded. He reached for the fruit, but Norian pulled it back.
"Payment first."
The receptionist hesitated, then sighed and pulled out his phone. Company funds couldn't be risked without proof, so he used his personal account. They scanned the QR code, and Norian's balance jumped. Smiling, he handed over the fruit.
"You don't need to wash it. The Aether inside prevents it from getting dirty,"
Norian explained as the receptionist inspected it.
The man nodded and popped the blueberry into his mouth.
The instant he bit down, his eyes widened. Flavor exploded on his tongue — richer, sweeter, more heavenly than any explanation could capture. His fatigue melted away, tension dissolved, and warmth spread through his body. He felt light, energized, blissful.
Norian, watching the balance on his phone rise to 14,585 ZTN.
' Hehe~ I made so much money just from few talking. I wonder how much I can squeeze out of this dude before going home. I need to do better then this.'
Norian thought as he looked at his balance. He wasn't as nervous anymore. His words flowed naturally and reasoning formed instantaneously.
'It must be because my Equanimity is at [F-Grade]. Or else there is no way I could have conversation of this level with my level of intelligence.'
Norian was aware of his own intelligence before his stats increased. He was dumb. He wasn't good with words. He can start a conversation, mess up and later regret thinking about it because he could have said many better things or acted better.
But now those things are happening naturally so Norian's mood became even more good. Who wouldn't be knowing the fact that they are smart?
Norian pit his phone inside his pocket and looked up. His eyes narrowed instantly.
'What the fuck? Is this guy having foodgasim? What's with that face? Don't tell me this guy awakened some weird fetish…'
Still, he supposed the fruit's taste was strong enough to justify such a reaction.
When the receptionist finally jolted back to reality, wiping drool from his mouth, Norian asked,
"So? Ready for the deal?"
The man smiled, his excitement obvious.
"Yes. Let's talk business. I think this will be one of our star products of the month — maybe even the year."
He was already imagining his commission. Norian smiled. It was finally time to get out of his poverty. He could feel his heart beat with excitement and anticipation of the future.
But one thing is sure that he is going to make sure he gets enough money to not only buy gears but also indulge a little. Norian licked his lips as he eyed the receptionist like a pry.
The receptionist suddenly felt a chill as he was daydreaming, but wait! It was night time, so he must have been dreaming. He looked at Norian who was smiling innocently.
'Eup! I must have been dreaming.'
Norian was on his phone until eleven in the morning. Then his stomach growled. He realized that he hadn't eaten anything for almost two days.
He checked his bank balance—the account he had connected to the system.
This was different from his usual one. It was a backup, a savings account the bullies didn't know about. He had opened it after realizing they would never leave him alone.
So, every now and then, he deposited money from his main account into this one, saving it for emergencies. Now, this backup had become his main. Since it was registered with the system, he wouldn't use the other anymore.
There were 10,000 ZTN in the account. That was what he'd managed to save through six months of hard work and constant sacrifice—living off cheap cup noodles and dried food.
Norian was glad he had been cautious enough to create a second account. He had once planned to buy gear for missions, but back then he was too consumed by self-pity to do anything.
His past self had been too pathetic—too cowardly to even stand up for himself. Shaking his head at the thought, he ordered some food, then returned to researching fruit shop locations.
The kind of shops where rich people bought fruits.
Drelmora was a city that wasn't flourishing, but it wasn't declining either. It stood stagnant, about 10,000 kilometers from the coastal city on the east side of the country.
Merchants traveling from the Solmyr Edge often stopped there to rest and trade goods before heading to the capital. Wealthy residents of Drelmora liked to buy exotic things from these traveling vendors. Goods from Solmyr Edge were especially prized in Natharilis because of their uniqueness.
Norian's target was one of those merchant dealerships supplying goods from Drelmora to the capital.
Fifty minutes later, his food arrived. He had already prepaid. He carried it inside and began eating—chicken chow mein and cold coffee. He hadn't tasted chow mein in six months.
For those six long months, his menu had been painfully limited: water, cup noodles, and ultra-dried fruits. Nothing else.
Norian ate with a sense of release and satisfaction. His hunger wasn't fully quenched, but the meal still left him content. After gulping down water, he was still a bit hungry, so he pulled some fruits from his inventory.
Just two or three were enough to fill him completely. He realized then just how much energy those fruits contained—and why the system had categorized them as [Common-Grade] [Tier 1].
When he was done, it was time.
Now he would finally step into the world of Dimension Walkers.
His heart raced with excitement. This had been his dream—one he never thought he'd achieve. Today, if everything went right, he would leave behind the ordinary world and enter the realm of true superhumans.
Becoming a Dimension Walker was the dream of billions, but only a select few ever succeeded. In Nitralis—or anywhere across eastern Veltaria—only rare individuals managed to cross that threshold.
Norian closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and sat in a lotus position with his hands on his knees. He repeated slow, steady breaths, calming his wandering thoughts.
It took fifteen minutes before his mind was steady enough. Then he accessed his inventory and pulled out a glowing orb.
It was silvery white, undulating like smoke, almost alive in its mystical glow. Norian gazed at the marble-sized orb in awe. Then, steadying himself, he pressed it against his glabella.
The moment he did, a chilling sensation rushed through his brain. The orb dissolved into his body.
Norian felt a torrent of information flooding into his mind, anchoring itself deep within his being.
The will of the world itself was implanting the Aether Manipulation Primer into his soul. He could not forget it—even if he wanted to.
It took him half an hour to organize everything that had poured into his mind. Detailed instructions. The steps to create an Aether Core. The dangers. The consequences of failure. If written on paper, it would easily fill a hundred pages.
When he had finally processed it all, Norian exhaled and centered himself. His eyes stayed closed as he pushed away stray thoughts. Any distraction now could cripple his future—or worse, ruin him for life.
The first step was to sense Aether in the air.
According to the Primer, Aether would appear like countless tiny sparkles scattered around him. Of course, at his current level, he couldn't truly see them.
That image was only a metaphor to help beginners grasp the concept. What he would actually feel was a prickling warmth across his skin.
Norian focused. And after a long struggle, he felt it—the faint prickling warmth.
As if a new world had opened before him, he could now sense countless sparkles all around.
The next step was harder: to draw those sparkles into his body with sheer will alone.
Every living thing contained Aether. It was as essential as blood itself. Without it, nothing could exist. Human bodies carried Aether too, but in a dormant state—locked within the blood.
To awaken it, natural Aether had to be drawn in and merged with one's own before it could flow through the Aether veins.
Norian concentrated. Slowly, the sparkles in the air drifted toward him. A prickling heat spread across his skin as they penetrated his body. To his surprise, it wasn't only the nearby Aether that responded, but even those farther away.
Sparkles from every corner of his room floated toward him, pouring inside.
Amazed, he held his focus, channeling the Aether into his blood vessels. For three hours, he worked relentlessly until he had gathered enough to reverse the flow againsthis blood flow.
It was needed so that the Life Aether inside Norian's blood comes out with it because of the reverse flow.
It was grueling, sweat dripping down his temples, but he didn't falter.
When he finally reversed the flow, he separated the natural Aether from his blood. The process was awkward at first—he kept losing focus—but eventually he found a rhythm.
Instead of spreading his focus across his entire body, he worked section by section, and the process grew easier. After channeling the Aether five full times in reverse, the natural Aether finally blended with his own.
His Ather veins no longer rejected it, it didn't hurt anymore if any Aether touched it. Another step complete.
Now came the third.
He willed the Aether to converge at his solar plexus.
Obediently, streams of Aether rushed from every direction—his head, arms, and legs—all colliding at the center of his body.
They slammed into each other, forming a spinning vortex. Norian used their momentum, guiding the rotation counterclockwise until the vortex stabilized.
It grew, spinning faster and faster, until it began drawing more Aether from outside.
For three hours he maintained it, carefully balancing the vortex, until it swelled to the size of a bowl. Any more, and it would collapse. He stopped drawing Aether in.
The hardest step remained: compressing the vortex into a core.
He braced himself for the pain. With gritted teeth, he forced the vortex inward. Agonizing pressure stabbed through his chest, as though thousands of needles pierced his organs.
He endured. For two endless hours, he compressed the Aether, sweating and trembling.
Finally, the vortex collapsed inward, leaving behind a white, transparent orb above his Aether center. A faint aura pulsed from it. The Aether Core was formed.
One final step remained: merging it with his Aether center.
It was the easiest yet most painful part. Once merged, the core would flood his veins with Aether, forcefully cleansing his body of impurities.
The process would last until his body fully adapted. If he fainted before it was done, his core could destabilize, crippling him permanently.
Norian exhaled, inhaled, and steeled his nerves.
Then he merged the orb.
"Guakh!!!"
The instant it connected, his body convulsed as a surge of Aether blasted through his veins. His spine arched, his teeth clenched, every muscle seizing in pain.
His Aether veins, thinner than a strand of hair, expanded violently as they struggled to contain the torrent. The Aether spread, retreated, then surged again, hammering through his body like waves.
Norian's whole body was in pain. He felt more pain in his head, especially his brain which felt like it might burst every time the Aether wave came crashing.
For an hour, the cycle repeated. Each wave widened his Aether veins, scouring impurities from his flesh.
Many time he felt like giving up, many time he felt he should stop this madness and just live like an ordinary person far from here.
But every time the memories of his parents leaving him relieved came crashing, people looking at him like he was a crush, a plague, a monster, he wanted to prove them wrong. And most importantly, he wanted to prove himself wrong.
His pathetic self that believed all that and stayed down enduring the torment and curses for years. He wants to look himself in the mirror and be proud of himself, not for a moment but for the rest of his life.
He wants to leave behind his past weakness and prove everyone wrong including himself.
So that's why-
'I MUST ENDURE!! I ENDURED ALL THAT SO THIS IS NOTHING!! I CAN DO IT!!'
Norian gritted his teeth and endured the intense pain that felt like his internal organs were melting.
Then the process stopped, the once black-and-blue Aether veins full of impurities now gleamed with a blue luster.
When it was over, system notifications filled his vision, but Norian ignored them. He collapsed backward, chest heaving. His head felt heavy, his mind drained.
He didn't know how long he had been in that focused state, but the exhaustion was unbearable.
Still, beneath it all, he felt light—free.
As if a massive weight had been lifted from him.
And then, at last, darkness claimed him.
=====
Norian woke up feeling refreshed — a clarity of mind he had never known before. He sat up, took a deep breath, and expected the room to smell fresh. Instead, a disgusting stench greeted his nose, fouler than the swamp.
"Guakh!!"
He gagged, clamping a hand over his mouth and nose.
Looking down at his skin, he saw black, murky residue crusted across his body — the impurities his Aether had purged.
Most of it had burned away he ate the Forest God's Grace but enough remained to be purged by Aether. Norian sprang from the floor and headed straight for the bathroom.
He showered for an hour, scrubbing with shampoo and body wash until the smell finally faded. He washed his clothes repeatedly as well.
Even after he cleaned everything, a faint odor lingered in the room, so he wiped surfaces and sprayed room freshener until it was bearable.
Norian collapsed back on the bed and felt lighter for the first time in a long while.
With the smell gone, he could actually breathe. He looked out the window: it was night. He reached for his phone by the pillow and saw the time — 2:00 a.m.
He had begun forming his Aether core around noon; nearly fourteen hours had passed.
He didn't know if his speed was impressive or average — there weren't many other Walkers in his continent to compare with.
Still, he debated whether to go out now to sell the fruits. The merchant vendors he planned to visit operated 24/7, so the hour wasn't an issue. In the end, he decided to go; even without a mission assigned, he needed money.
Better to be prepared in case the world pulled him into another Dimension again.
He wasn't tired — if anything, he felt better than before. Suddenly, Norian stood, walked to the balcony, and squinted into the night.
Something hit him: his vision was sharper. He could see distant houses clearly under the moonlight, details he'd never noticed before.
Sounds were clearer too — people snoring, dogs barking far off, the thin hum of the city. His hearing had improved.
He flexed his fingers and felt a new control over his body.
"I see, so this is what it feels like to be a Dimension Walker... not bad~ not bad~."
Norian wandered. But most fascinating thing wasn't that, there was the warm hum in his solar plexus — the sign that he had become a Dimension Walker. He smiled faintly, closed his eyes, and turned his attention inward to his Aether center.
He saw the transparent Aether core pulsing gently; his Aether veins showed no cracks or damage and glowed with a light blue luster.
Aether veins were almost a legend to normal scientists. In the recent years, 233 years ago to be exact, some scientists dissected a human body and put the veins under a microscope.
Researchers baffled by what they saw. They documented that, they were sure they were looking at something but couldn't comprehend what it was. Like something was blocking them from understanding.
The Walkers of this continent made statement that the world's will blocked mortal minds from fully comprehending Aether. Since these mortals failed to become a Dimension Walker, they lost the right to know about it.
Now Norian understood why — it wasn't spite; it was protection. Only those who stepped into the world of Dimension Walkers could perceive its secrets.
Thinking of that made him feel privileged and energized. He closed the balcony door, grabbed his phone, pulled on shoes, snatched his keys, and locked the door. Time to do business — time to get rich.
=====
The first target was the Akram Eastern Merchant Group. It was a fairly well-known merchant group in the country, specializing in trading exotic goods. They shipped products from Solmyr Edge all the way to Zetharilis.
Although they might not be that influential in the capital, in a rural area like this they were considered a local luxury brand. They had their own products, as well as exclusive shipping rights for others.
Norian hoped he could land a deal with them because they catered to many wealthy customers.
Norian quickly reached the station.
He walked, not because he wanted to, but because he had to. The laws strictly forbade the use of powers within local areas, and with constant surveillance, if he tried hopping from building to building it would be disastrous.
The police would be after him in no time. So he could do nothing but suck it up and suppress the urge to do ninja-style leaps across rooftops. Norian felt it was a great regret, but he had no choice.
He boarded the train. The car was empty; no one traveled at this hour. Only one or two people ever did — night-shift workers, the occasional drunk, or someone like him with business to attend to at odd hours.
'Wait, no. I'm not wandering aimlessly.'
Norian thought, nodding to himself.
' I'm going on a mission to get rich. I have purpose. I may be unemployed, but I'm not without a goal.'
He kept nodding, self-assuring himself that he wasn't just another ambitious failure like those who never succeeded.
He would succeed. His deal was solid, his product unique. He had to succeed. Still, he felt a nervous flutter — he had never spoken to anyone about business before.
He was the type to accept whatever people proposed without question. Even when he got jumped, he never bargained, never demanded fairness.
He had always feared that if people stayed around him too long, his curse might affect them.
Norian realized just how much his thought process had been shaped by others — by how they treated him. He couldn't change the past, but he could change the future by acting now. He steeled his heart.
The train screeched to a halt at Drelmora City station. Even at this early hour, the city bustled — not with citizens, most of whom were asleep, but with merchants, vendors, and tourists looking for hotels.
The plaza was dotted with tired faces and busy hands, though the streets were nowhere near as crowded as during the day.
The plaza had sixteen paths branching outward. Norian walked straight ahead, heading in the direction his map displayed. He didn't bother with a cab. He didn't need to — the merchant group's building was close.
Drelmora itself was vast, about 3,800 kilometers in diameter, though still small compared to the Capital. Regardless, Norian's newly formed Aether core gave him heightened control of his body.
Even though he walked casually, a normal person would have had to jog just to keep pace with him.
Fifteen minutes later, he had covered three kilometers, navigating alleys, side streets, and shortcuts while checking the map on his phone.
Finally, he stopped in front of a three-story building painted gold. On the nameplate above the entrance, it read: Akram Eastern Merchant Group
Norian took a deep breath, calmed his nerves, and stepped forward.
The doors opened automatically, revealing a luxuriously decorated interior. The lobby was grand, with a waiting area vast enough to accommodate dozens, though now it stood empty.
Staircases led up both sides toward the second and third floors, flanking a central reception booth. The white marble floor gleamed under the lights.
Norian walked to the receptionist.
"How can I help you, sir?"
The receptionist asked politely.
Norian was nervous, but he hid it well.
"I want to sell a few things. Can you help me with that?"
The receptionist blinked in surprise, studied Norian for a few seconds, then nodded.
"What would you like to sell today, sir?"
"I would like to sell fruits … from another planet."
The receptionist's eyes widened.
"Do you mean…?"
"Yes. I'm a Walker,"
Norian confirmed. He pulled a fruit from his inventory — the blueberry he had examined earlier.
He had already sorted through all the different sizes of the fruit. The system didn't distinguish much between them; they were all graded as [Common Grade] [Tier 1], with prices varying only slightly depending on size.
The average was around 250 AetherCred, and the maximum 265.
That meant about 15,000 ZTN at best. But Norian wanted more. If this group wouldn't pay, he would move on to another. He couldn't afford to wait for trade center sales — those took too long.
The receptionist eyed the fruit skeptically. Norian expected as much and began his pitch.
"This fruit may look ordinary, but the system graded it as [Common Grade] [Tier 1]. I think you understand what that means. But before we talk price, let me explain the system's description."
He held up the fruit.
"This blueberry contains Aether. For normal people like you, who aren't Walkers, that's extremely valuable. Even for me, a Walker, just two or three fruits can fill me completely while giving immense nutrition. Beyond that, it strengthens internal organs and even beautifies you. Look at me. I've been eating them for months."
Norian flashed a grin, baring teeth that gleamed like pearls.
"See these? No paste could make them shine like this."
The receptionist nodded slowly, clearly calculating the potential.
"But that's not even the main reason these fruits are graded [Tier 1],"
Norian continued.
"It's their taste. I've eaten them for months, and they still amaze me. This blueberry tastes like… an apple."
The receptionist blinked.
"Not just any apple,"
Norian pressed,
"but one sweeter than nectar, bursting with flavor. The moment you bite into it, it dissolves in your mouth, leaving a heavenly aftertaste. Eat one, and you won't need mouth freshener for hours. So, think carefully about this offer. This could be a deal we both profit from."
The receptionist's eyes locked onto the fruit. Norian took that as a good sign. But then the man frowned.
"I understand the system says it's [Common-Grade] [Tier-1]… but how do we know? We aren't Walkers."
"Don't you have a system-linked appraisal device?"
Norian asked.
"We do, but we only use it for exclusive, high-value items."
"Well, then treat this as one,"
Norian countered.
"You won't find this taste or these benefits anywhere else."
The receptionist still hesitated.
Norian leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"Listen man, I'll be blunt. This fruit tastes so good that anyone who tries it will never forget it. And it's not just taste — it improves health. Imagine selling this to a wealthy client. With the right branding, you can name your price. Call it exotic, call it rare, and they'll buy. Best part? I'm the only supplier. That means you control the market. Limited supply, inflated price — pure profit. What do you say?"
Still, the receptionist hesitated. Norian realized why: he had no way to prove authenticity. For a normal person without access to the system, his words alone meant little.
"Fine,"
Norian said at last.
"Let's do this differently. Buy this one blueberry and eat it yourself. Decide firsthand if it's worth your attention. Fair?"
The receptionist thought for a moment, then nodded.
"How much?"
Norian smiled.
"According to the system, 12,500 ZTN. But since I respect your group, I'll give it to you for only 5,000 ZTN. Pay now, taste it, and see the truth yourself."
"5,000 ZTN? That's too much!"
The receptionist recoiled.
"It's not too much if you think about the profit you'll make later. And to be fair, if it doesn't taste as I describe, I'll refund half your money. How's that?"
This time, the man nodded. He reached for the fruit, but Norian pulled it back.
"Payment first."
The receptionist hesitated, then sighed and pulled out his phone. Company funds couldn't be risked without proof, so he used his personal account. They scanned the QR code, and Norian's balance jumped. Smiling, he handed over the fruit.
"You don't need to wash it. The Aether inside prevents it from getting dirty,"
Norian explained as the receptionist inspected it.
The man nodded and popped the blueberry into his mouth.
The instant he bit down, his eyes widened. Flavor exploded on his tongue — richer, sweeter, more heavenly than any explanation could capture. His fatigue melted away, tension dissolved, and warmth spread through his body. He felt light, energized, blissful.
Norian, watching the balance on his phone rise to 14,585 ZTN.
' Hehe~ I made so much money just from few talking. I wonder how much I can squeeze out of this dude before going home. I need to do better then this.'
Norian thought as he looked at his balance. He wasn't as nervous anymore. His words flowed naturally and reasoning formed instantaneously.
'It must be because my Equanimity is at [F-Grade]. Or else there is no way I could have conversation of this level with my level of intelligence.'
Norian was aware of his own intelligence before his stats increased. He was dumb. He wasn't good with words. He can start a conversation, mess up and later regret thinking about it because he could have said many better things or acted better.
But now those things are happening naturally so Norian's mood became even more good. Who wouldn't be knowing the fact that they are smart?
Norian pit his phone inside his pocket and looked up. His eyes narrowed instantly.
'What the fuck? Is this guy having foodgasim? What's with that face? Don't tell me this guy awakened some weird fetish…'
Still, he supposed the fruit's taste was strong enough to justify such a reaction.
When the receptionist finally jolted back to reality, wiping drool from his mouth, Norian asked,
"So? Ready for the deal?"
The man smiled, his excitement obvious.
"Yes. Let's talk business. I think this will be one of our star products of the month — maybe even the year."
He was already imagining his commission. Norian smiled. It was finally time to get out of his poverty. He could feel his heart beat with excitement and anticipation of the future.
But one thing is sure that he is going to make sure he gets enough money to not only buy gears but also indulge a little. Norian licked his lips as he eyed the receptionist like a pry.
The receptionist suddenly felt a chill as he was daydreaming, but wait! It was night time, so he must have been dreaming. He looked at Norian who was smiling innocently.
'Eup! I must have been dreaming.'