The rain in Sector 89 was more like toxic sludge than water—acidic, green, and corroding the roof of Kai Zareth's shack drop by drop. He huddled inside, clenching a cracked data-pad in one hand and a rusted pipe in the other, hoping the loan sharks wouldn't come tonight.
He had exactly zero credits, a debt of 27,000 Intergalactic Units, and a bounty on his head large enough to make even peacekeepers twitch.
All because of one failed trade.
They called him "Kai the Broke" now. Once a rising black market broker, now nothing but a desperate scavenger.
Then… the sky cracked.
Literally.
A glowing circle, as wide as the city block, shimmered into existence above the clouds. Every screen in the city glitched, went dark, then blinked back with one message—displayed only to him.
[⚠️ Cosmic Trade Nexus Detected][Verifying… Proximity Threshold Met: 1 System User per 10,000 Light Years][Initializing CONTRACTOR…][Welcome, Kai Zareth. You have been selected as the Sole Trader of the Nexus.][☑ Cosmic Trade System: Activated]
Kai's heart stopped.
The legends were real?
A system so rare only one could exist in ten thousand light years?
[Opening System Interface…][Inventory: Empty][Trading Link: Inactive][Cosmic Units: 0 CU][Mission 001: Initiate your first trade within 12 hours. Failure = System Revoked]
"Shit," Kai whispered. "Twelve hours? I've got nothing to trade but scrap metal and misery."
[Hint: Interdimensional Junk Market temporarily open. Access?]
Kai's eyes widened. "Access granted!"
A glowing menu hovered in front of him. Items flickered in and out—blades made from dead stars, potions that healed time wounds, tech fused with magic. But everything was way beyond his budget.
Except one.
[Offer: Rusted Toothbrush – Seller: Goblin Tribe 784-SWZ][Cost: 1 Local Scrap Unit][Estimated resale value: 3 CU on Earth Street Market (Sector 89)]
Kai scrambled to his junk pile, found an old steel spring, and jammed it into the system converter.
The trade confirmed.
The toothbrush appeared in his hand—mossy, crude, but glowing with a faint green aura.
[Trade Completed! +3 CU][Mission 001 Complete][Level Up: Rank 1 Trader → Rank 2 Initiate Trader][New Feature Unlocked: Street Vendor Mode]
The shack trembled.
On the corner of his screen, a new notification appeared.
[Warning: Street Lords of Sector 89 have detected dimensional activity. Multiple contracts incoming.][Hostile Trader Detected: Varak the Claw – Rank 4 System User – En Route]
Kai stood up, clenched the toothbrush like a dagger, and muttered, "Okay. Maybe I'm not dead yet."
Status Panel:
Name: Kai Zareth
Title: Sole Trader of the Cosmic Nexus
Rank: 2 (Initiate Trader)
Cosmic Units (CU): 3
Credits: 0
Inventory: Rusted Goblin Toothbrush (3 CU est.)
Debt: 27,000 Intergalactic Units
Unlocked Features: Interdimensional Junk Market, Street Vendor Mode
Next Objective: Sell an item for 10 CU before bounty hunters catch up.