“Umm, Minily, are you seeing this too?”
Laiko looked over at his friend after a few seconds of no answer and found her eating some type of meat on a stick. Sauce and drool were running down her chin.
“Where did you get that?!”
“MmI don’tmm know. Someone, mmm, was selling it. I imagine it was a test of the new function.” She barely got out in between bites.
“I don’t see any listings for food. Can I have some?”
When he looked back over, she was licking the stick clean.
“Whoops. Sorry about that. Guess I should have shared.”
Laiko looked at her with a face in pure astonishment at the utter betrayal he just witnessed.
“You should have asked sooner! I’m sure more people will put food up there. Did you also get some of the Progress Credits?”
“I did. I got 1500. How about you?”
“10,000. It must be 100 per level.”
“Well, it sounds to me like you will be buying us food for a while.”
“Oh sorry, I mean 100. I only have 100. Actually, I have nothing after buying that grilled fish.”
Laiko chuckled at the shamelessness displayed.
“What do you think this means? Has the System ever done this?”
“Nope. This is new and I’m not sure what to think, but it came at the perfect time. Now, let’s get out of the forest while keeping an eye out for any useful items.”
***
A week passed and the two tired otherworldly travelers still found themselves in the dense forest with the obsidian glass sand crunching under their feet. Even so, their hopes were higher than they had been the entire time they had been on the new planet.
With the introduction of The Progress Nexus, they had been able to purchase a few items from the trillions of listings that exploded into the function over the first week.
Minily bought them a magical tent to sleep in rather than the primitive lean-to they were crafting before. Laiko bought some proper clothes, a couple bags, and a fire starter that made their survival much easier. When a listing came up for a spatially expanded waterskin, Minily instantly spent the 2000 credits for it. Of course, their favorite part was when they found a food listing of something familiar they both enjoyed.
On the second day, they had both started picking exotic fruits off the trees or pulling herbs to throw up as listings to make some credits back. To their surprise, people would buy their items within a day or two.
It was the best of both worlds. They got to live with some comforts while also being explorers of a new world.
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Neither of them even began to think what The Progress Nexus could potentially be used for until a surprise notification popped up in their vision.
Ecclo has invited you to a private trade. Do you accept?
A shared glance was a sign that they had both received the strange notification.
“Who’s Ecclo?” They both said at the same time before bursting out in laughter and accepting the private trade request.
When they acknowledged the private trade request, it took them to a smaller page of listings. Only four items were listed for each of them.
Medium Recording Quartz (used): 2PC
Small Recording Quartz (unused): 1PC
Medium Recording Quartz (Unused): 2PC
Large Recording Quartz (Unused): 10PC
“Minily, what in the world is a recording quartz?”
“I have no idea. Do you have a listing for a used one?”
“I do. Do you?”
“Yes. I think we should buy the used one.”
Laiko nodded and moments later they both received a blue crystal in the shape of a water droplet the size of their palm. A note on the sale said, “Use a little mana.”
Minily went first and pushed a little mana into the crystal in her palm. When she did, it started to vibrate, and a familiar voice started to fill the empty forest.
“Uhh, hi. I hope this is working, but it’s Vorin. These are a new invention by our very own Synexus. They supposedly record sound and then are able to play it back. He made it for Shell to record her music. Anyways, Minily, I hope you’re doing okay and that you found Laiko. We are all doing okay. Drackenn got the help of the class masters needed and I heard he was back in Doubloon safe. Ecclo is a friend of Synexus and he is a bamboo vendor, so he is able to set up private sales. We weren’t sure at first if he could set one up with you since we had no idea where you actually are. It’s been pretty crazy over here and I’m sure it has been for you as well. Anyways, this could be a way for us to send messages. We will have Ecclo put up a listing for empty recording quartz for you to send a message back.”
They turned to each other with their jaws dropped. Neither of them had realized how much they needed to hear a familiar voice, and their eyes started to gloss over with potential tears trying to form. That’s when Laiko realized he had a crystal too.
“Laiko. I’m sorry. I tried my hardest to protect you and I failed. I hope you’re doing okay and that Minily found you. We are all excited to have you two return to us. Don’t worry about your parents. I went and let them know what was going on. They were inconsolable of course, but I promised them that we would get you home. Send a message back, and if you want you can record one for your parents too and we can set up a private sale with them.”
This time the tears did form, and he tried to turn away from Minily. He was sure that she wouldn’t let him live the emotional moment down anytime soon.
Without another thought, they each bought all three sizes of the recording quartz.
After reading the description of the small one, they decided it could be useful later. Their medium recordings were for Vorin and the rest of the party. Then they both stepped away and recorded large recordings. Laiko recorded his for his parents telling them what had happened and how he was doing. He talked about all the cool things he’s gotten to see and how they planned on getting home. Minily recorded hers for Drackenn doing much the same except she complained about not being on a boat for over a month which ate about half her time.
When they were done recording, they used the same private sale to sell Ecclo their listings for the same price. The feature was meant so they could perhaps trade valuable items between themselves and the vendor, but they took advantage of it anyways.
With that business done, Minily searched through the listings until she found what she was looking for. Shell had already listed several recordings of her songs on The Progress Nexus. She bought them all.
Laiko didn’t even look at her when she started the first recording. They both let the sweet sounds of the ocarina flow over them while continuing their never-ending march through the dense forest towards destination unknown.
