Han Yu reappeared in a small general store on a street in New York in the Marvel Universe.
The storefront was small, but it was fully equipped inside.
Han Yu had acquired the little store half a year ago. He had originally been an ordinary Chinese man from Earth, but he was also a die-hard superhero and comic book fan.
He had transmigrated here after watching Avengers: Endgame. He had gone to sleep that night, and in the blink of an eye, he had arrived in this Marvel Universe teeming with godlike beings.
The general store had also been bound to Han Yu as his cheat.
He had thought he could reach the pinnacle of life and marry a rich, beautiful woman as soon as he arrived. Instead, the system had kept issuing him one task after another, plunging him straight into the miserable life of a 996 worker.
As soon as he returned this time, Han Yu said, "System, settle the collection mission. Keyword: 'Shinra Tensei'!"
The General Store System's voice rang out in Han Yu's mind.
"Mission settlement complete. The system has detected additional items for inclusion: S-rank Ninjutsu [Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique], S-rank Ninjutsu [Strength of a Hundred Technique], S-rank Ninjutsu [Yin Seal]."
"Additional reward obtained: Item Draw Card ×1!"
Han Yu exclaimed in delight, "It actually gave me an Item Draw Card! Bringing back three extra S-rank Ninjutsu was worth it!"
He swept his right hand through the air, and a floating screen of light visible only to him flashed into view. It displayed his personal information in the system.
[Name: Han Yu]
[General store rank: senior shop assistant]
[Basic ability: Undying Divine Seal]
[Additional abilities: none]
[Items: Item Draw Card ×1]
[Armory: Hyorinmaru]
[Current upgrade points: 20]
[Points required for upgrade: 50]
Han Yu's burning gaze settled on "Item Draw Card." It was far more precious than Shinra Tensei.
It could draw items from the myriad worlds, and the item would come in its ultimate form, saving Han Yu the trouble of upgrading the weapon.
In the General Store System, an additional reward was not the only way to obtain one. He could also get one by spending upgrade points.
But the price could only be called astronomical. A single Item Draw Card cost a hundred upgrade points. They might as well rob him!
How many upgrade points did Han Yu get for working himself to the bone on a single mission? Asking him for a hundred at once was practically asking for his life.
Han Yu tapped "Item Draw Card" on his personal information panel and pinched the air with two fingers. A card, primarily purple with a gold border, slowly appeared in his hand.
"I hope I draw something good this time. I drew this ice-type Zanpakuto of mine, Hyorinmaru, right here. Hope I get something good."
Han Yu was just about to start the draw when the wind chime hanging at the entrance to the general store gave a clear jingle. He had to stop the draw for now and put the Item Draw Card away.
Only people from the myriad worlds who possessed a certain status could set the wind chime ringing. The stronger they were, the faster and louder it rang.
Normally, no matter how hard the wind blew, it would not move, as if it were broken.
The door swung open, and a figure appeared in the doorway.
When he saw the visitor, a friendly smile appeared on Han Yu's face. "Whitebeard, here for more wine?"
"Haha, you know me well, Boss Han. Maotai, three hundred jars!"
The visitor was Whitebeard from the One Piece world. He gave a few hearty laughs, and the building shook with the sound.
Beyond the door Whitebeard had pushed open was not a New York street, but an empty stretch of land.
The general store was connected to the myriad worlds, with a corresponding location in each one. Whitebeard had stumbled upon this island, and the little store, during a voyage.
He had also been astonished to discover that the store's liquor was exceptionally good. In all his long life, he had never tasted anything so strong. Compared to it, their liquor was practically piss-water.
That was why Whitebeard often came here to buy liquor, purchasing hundreds of jars at a time. If packaged in ordinary liquor bottles, a single jar would probably fill twenty or thirty bottles.
"It's in the usual place, and the price is the same as always."
Han Yu smiled. Although they came from different worlds, that did not stop him from taking payment. The money he received went into the General Store System and would automatically be exchanged for the equivalent amount in the currency of whichever world he entered.
"Mm, I'll have someone fetch it right away. I've already left the money outside."
Whitebeard nodded, a trace of weariness flashing across his face. He turned to leave, but just as he was about to step through the door, Han Yu called out to him.
"You don't look quite right. Has something happened?"
Whitebeard turned to look at Han Yu and shook his head. It seemed he did not want to talk about it.
Han Yu said, "You're an old customer of mine. Whatever it is, why not tell me? Maybe I can help."
"You're just an ordinary general store owner. How could I possibly let you risk your life with me?"
Looking into Han Yu's eyes, Whitebeard finally sighed softly and said, "I've bought liquor here so many times. I suppose there's no harm in telling you. It's Ace. The Marines caught him, and he'll be sent to the execution grounds in a few days. I'm going to save him. This time, I might not come back."
Han Yu froze for a moment. He had met the Ace Whitebeard was talking about: a young man who loved to smile, was very polite, and treated people well.
Ace had come to buy liquor in Whitebeard's place several times, and he and Han Yu got along quite well. Han Yu had a good impression of him.
When their large group of pirates came to eat at the general store, Ace would always offer to help Han Yu clear and wash the bowls afterward, so Han Yu had always given them very friendly prices.
Seeing Han Yu freeze, Whitebeard gave a bitter smile. He had no intention of saying anything more.
In his eyes, Han Yu was just the proprietor of a general store on some isolated island in the sea. Nothing more he said could change anything.
And so Whitebeard left, his retreating figure forlorn.
Han Yu walked out of the general store and set foot on the soil of the One Piece world. Only then did he notice that the moneybags piled up on either side of the store reached an astounding six meters high, far exceeding what he usually charged.
"System, put all these coins into the currency system. Let me see how much there is."
Han Yu turned his head and spoke to the General Store System.
"Conversion starting..."
"Conversion complete!"
"Current currency: Marvel Universe, US dollars."
"Converted amount: three hundred thousand US dollars!"
The muscles in Han Yu's face twitched. There were actually three hundred thousand dollars!
Usually, the price he charged for hundreds of jars of liquor came to around a hundred-odd thousand, not much more. Even that was by no means a small sum for an ordinary person.
Since the One Piece world did not have refined brewing techniques, Han Yu charged a little more. Whitebeard did not mind and paid readily, but he had never given him this much.
"I'll go take a look later."
Han Yu murmured to himself. He could not just let such a good customer slip away.
A thread of invisible energy gathered in Han Yu's palm, forming a transparent little figure smaller than his hand. It was made of spiritual power.
"Go."
Han Yu gave a soft command, and the transparent figure sped away. It quickly caught up with Whitebeard's departing group and stood on the mast, watching everything.
Inside the cabin, Whitebeard suddenly felt something strange, as though he were being watched. He got up and looked around.
"What is it, Pops?" one of Whitebeard's crew asked.
The strange feeling soon vanished. Whitebeard shook his head slightly, brushed the jumbled thoughts from his mind, and said,
"Nothing. Let's hurry and save Ace."
Watching all this from the tavern, Han Yu nodded silently. This little figure formed from spiritual power could serve as his clone and keep watch over everything. It also had a little fighting strength, making it quite good at tailing people.
With the spiritual-power clone keeping an eye on Whitebeard, Han Yu could attend to his own business for now. He took out the Item Draw Card again and said,
"System, draw an item!"
He slapped the card forward, and it dissolved into streams of light that gathered before him.
The light gradually condensed into a ring that shimmered green.
The ring was made entirely of an unknown silver metal. Set atop it was a green gemstone, bearing a design made up of a circle and two horizontal lines, one above and one below.
Han Yu held out his palm, and the ring slipped onto his finger on its own, as if it possessed intelligence. Immediately afterward, two streaks of green light covered his eyes, and a sentence rang out in his mind.
"Ring bearer, please recite the oath!"
The oath? What oath?
Before Han Yu could ask, a passage appeared in his mind. His lips moved as he recited the words written there.
In brightest day, in blackest night.
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil's might.
Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!
The instant he finished speaking, dazzling green light poured endlessly from the ring, enveloping Han Yu. It continued for dozens of seconds before slowly receding into the ring.
At that moment, Han Yu felt a mental connection form between him and the ring. If it left him, he would know immediately.
Only then could he examine the ring closely. His shocked voice instantly rang throughout the general store.
"W... T... F! It's a Green Lantern Ring?!"