Heartbeat

Ba-dump....ba-dump....ba-dump. Ethan's heart started to race as he walked towards the pedestal. His entire arm was shaking as he stretched towards the statue. His hand brushed against the pouch. Suddenly, a loud voice rang out. Beep.....beep....beep.

Bzz.... A blue screen flickered to life. "What the hell," swore Ethan as he swatted the air wildly. "What is this?" he panicked? "Did I finally get a system?" His face widened into a smile. "Yes! I've gotten a system, just like the 'mc'. Now I'm going to become overpowered. Yay!" Ethan started dancing around. He couldn't believe that he was given a system, just like that. He didn't even have to trade with that stupid merchant.

Beep

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[Opening the Mercator's Store]

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[Welcome to the Mercator's Store. The Mercator's Store is a store specially designed to provide the residents of planets invaded by Hell with powerful items to aid their defence]

[Please select an item from the categories listed below:]

[Weapons]

[Healing items]

[Armour]

[Mana derivatives]

[Monster eggs]

[Potential increasing drugs]

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"Wait...wait a minute," quivered Ethan. "Didn't I get a system? What's...what's this? What's the Mercator's Store?"

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[For the user's convenience, the Mercator's Store has been designed in a way to make you feel comfortable. Unfortunately, this may result in the store appearing in the form of the user's most fervent desire. If you are seeing the woman of your dreams or the ruler of your planet, please be assured, they are not here. Any attempt to assault the store will result in a temporary ban]

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"This is bullshit! I want a system. I want to level up and become overpowered! Where's my systemmmmmmm!"

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[Kindly select your desired item from the list given below]

[Weapons]

[Healing items]

[Armour]

[Mana derivatives]

[Monster eggs]

[Potential increasing drugs]

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Ethan sighed. "Well, I guess potential increasing drugs it is then."

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Ding!

[Notice!]

[The Mercator is a representative justice and trading. He enforces completely equality in all aspects in accordance with the principles of justice and fairness.]

Ding!

[In accordance with the principles of justice and fairness, this store is built on the concept sacrifice. Different planets may have different currencies. Different people may value different things differently. Hence, the Mercator's Store prices items according to the user.]

Ding!

[What do you desire? What will benefit you the most? How precious are your possessions to you? Every item here demands a personal sacrifice, however small it may be.]

[Please note the following rules:]

[All prices mentioned by the Mercator are subject to change. Each item's value will vary for each person]

[Each item is bound to the user. Sharing or gifting of items obtained in this store is prohibited in the interest of fairness]

[Items that partially or completely belong to others may not be sacrificed. Additionally, other's lives may not be offered.]

[The value of the items offered to the Mercator is dependent on how precious they are to the user. An item having no value on your planet may be regarded as a valuable item in the store]

[Prices are subject to negotiations. But note that any attempt to reduce an item's value may result in the Mercator attempting to negotiate the value of the items you have chosen to sacrifice]

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Ethan read the instructions with a serious expression. These terms were ridiculous! This shop was created in such a way that a guy having absolutely nothing could possibly benefit more than the richest person on the planet. In fact, maybe poor, unlucky and downtrodden people were the ones who would benefit the most from this store.

Think about it- a poor person values his possessions more than a rich person. A rich person may have more items to sacrifice, but a poor person would win in terms of the quality of the items sacrificed.

This store wasn't a store created for profit. It was created to help people low in the social hierarchy rise up. A way for weak people to grow stronger! In a way, it upheld the principles of equality on an entire planet by simply enforcing them in a tiny room. This could change the dynamics of an entire planet.

"Hu...." Ethan took a deep breath. What could he sacrifice? It wasn't like he had many things that he could use. What did the Mercator want him to sacrifice? His family? His already trash potential? His 'peaceful' life? Suddenly, he was angry. Life wasn't fair to him. What kind of a messed up world decided your fate since you were born?

F rank potential? Bang! Ethan punched the wall. He'd had enough. "Sacrifice....sacrifice....sacrifice." Alright. He'd sacrifice something, just like the store asked. He'd sacrifice something precious to him, yet something that could be recovered. He'd sacrifice something so precious that the Mercator would be shocked, yet so replaceable that he wouldn't feel its loss.

The cold air of the cave felt nice against Ethan's skin. Ethan savoured the sensation, preparing himself for the ordeal that was going to follow. He grit his teeth. Ba-dump....ba-dump....ba-dump. His heart started thumping again. Heart. Thumping. He knew what he was going to sacrifice.

Ethan scrolled down to the end of the list. His finger hovered over the last item. 'Agni's heart'

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[Agni's heart- The heart of a monster that used to be the strongest among fire type monsters. This item will greatly elevate the user's potential, allowing you to reach the so-called 'SS rank'(reference borrowed from planetary database). The best potential increasing drug available in this store.]

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Ethan's finger hovered the image of a large orange coloured heart. According to the store, Agni was a dragon that terrorised hell ten thousand years ago. What kind of a monster could wreak havoc across the literal source of all monsters? Ethan shuddered at the thought of such a creature.

Ethan shook his head. No. He needed to grow stronger. To surpass everybody, even the five families. To not let there be another Crookie. This was the correct option. Though, he couldn't imagine how expensive it would be.

He pressed the image of Agni's heart.

Ding!

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[You have selected: Agni's heart]

[Processing....]

[Error....Retrying....Error....Retrying....Error]

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[Higher authentication required to access this item]

[Requesting access]

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[Establishing connection to █ █]

[Connection terminated]

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[Access granted by the Mercator. Admin key has been accepted]

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[You have selected: M█t█ █r's heart]

[You have selected: Agni's heart]

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[Alert! The Mercator is descending! Please ensure that you behave yourself in his presence]

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[Alert! The Mercator is descending. Please...]

A loud voice echoed throughout the room. "You.....have chosen a very dangerous item, human," rasped the voice. It sounded like two people were talking at the same time. This strange voice creeped Ethan out. "Who...who are you?" he stuttered. The statue in front of him sat unmoving. It wasn't the source of the voice.

"Didn't the store inform you of my arrival? I am....the Mercator." Thunder boomed. The entire entire building shake. "Now then. You have chosen a very costly item. I have come personally to advise you against buying this item, oh greedy one," rasped the Mercator.

"No. I've made up my mind. I've decided to buy Agni's heart," Ethan stared right back into the statue's closed eyes. "Agni's heart, is it? Hohoho. Very well then. If you choose to buy this item, I will not stop you. You shall have the honour of trading with the great Mercator himself." The Mercator's voice was boomed with pride.

"Alright. Let us begin." An orange coloured heart suddenly appeared on one pan of the scale the statue was holding. Clat....clat....clat. The scale quickly tipped in one direction. "This is the weight of what you seek," boomed the Mercator's voice. "Can you hope to match it?"

Ethan stared at the statue. Ba-dump...Ba-dump...Ba-dump. It still hadn't moved. All this time, the crossed-legged figure had sat still, as if the trade meant nothing to it. Ba-dump..ba-dump..ba-dump. Alright. He'd make this damned statue move with his resolve. He'd shock it with his trade so much that it'd be forced to open its eyes and look at him.

Ba-dump..ba-dump..ba-dump. Ethan pulled out his knife. He stared at the metal as it shone slightly. He took a deep breath.....and stabbed his heart. BADUMPBADUMPBADUMPBADUMP. He screamed in pain as his heart started beating faster.

He yanked the knife out of his chest....and drew a long cut on his arm. Blood pooled out as it splashed into the empty pan. Clat....clat. The scales tilted in his favour, though ever so slightly.

"I...urk...I demand the right..cough...of negotiation." Bang! The world slowed down as Ethan was pulled out of his body. He stared at his falling body. No. The world hadn't slowed down. The Mercator had speeded up his thoughts to such an extent that his body couldn't handle it. He glanced at the statue.

"Impressive! I am surprised that you manage to tilt the scales ever so slightly in your direction. A futile attempt though. You have reached farther than others ever have, yet your sacrifice does not even amount to half of this item's value," rasped the mercator.

"Wait," said Ethan. "I've come here to negotiate. What I'm offering up for the heart is- the blood that could have saved a dying man." Ethan's injuries weren't untreatable. If he channeled his mana properly, he could cover up his wound. Yet, losing more blood would lower his chances of survival.

"Oh, is it," rasped the Mercator. "Yet how can you hope to lessen the heart's value? Such power does not come cheap." Ba-dump.....Ba-dump.....Ba-dump. Ethan could hear his dying heart beating ever so slightly. "My sacrifice's value increases as time passes. Every second spent talking to you makes the blood that I gave up even more precious." Clat. "Hohoho. You are attempting to increase the value of your sacrifice? Let us play that game then," laughed the Mercator. Suddenly, his voice turned serious. "You said that your sacrifice becomes more expensive as you are pushed to the brink of death. But I can argue that you are not a dying man. You can cover your heart with mana. The healers of this planet can save you," argued the voice.

"No," said Ethan. "There are no doctors near me right now. I came here with the intention of pushing myself to the brink of death. I am far from civilisation, and any attempt to flee would lead to me being ambushed by monsters" Ethan looked resolutely at the statue. Clat. "Let's talk about Agni's heart. It's price is double what it should be," smirked Ethan.

"Explain," said the voice simply. "Let's say I get the heart. There's a high chance that I may not be able to fuse with it." Ethan pointed at the statue accusingly. "Trade works on trust. The fact that this item might not save my life reduces its value. In trading, nothing is more important than one's life. And the fact that my life is in danger should be compensated." Clat...clat...clat.

"Interesting. So you claim that as a trader, I must take responsibility for your life. Why is that so?" The Mercator's twin voices rasped. "Because it is my life that decides the value of my blood. If I die, this blood loses its value. But if I survive, it is still valuable. This entire trade is centred around me. Therefore, I must survive. The fact that I do not die while giving you this blood is what makes it so precious to me. Because my death is certain if I do not acquire Agni's heart." Ba-dump..ba-dump..ba-dump.

The Mercator was silent for a moment. "Interesting," he boomed. "That is an interesting way of interpreting the rules of the trade. Hohohoho," he laughed. "I have never met a creature as intriguing as you. Take the heart then!" Clat....clat....clat. The scales tilted until they were perfectly balanced. "I hope you can handle it, human. Well then! We have a trade!"

Ba-dump...ba-dump...ba-dump. The orange heart appeared in Ethan's hand. Ba-dump...ba-dump...ba-dump. His heart slowly started to die as he pulled Agni's heart towards his chest. Ba-dump....his heartbeat stopped.