System Shop

Just as Rayne had expected, after fulfilling a final wish, he could choose once more from the other available rewards.

The moment he returned to his quarters, Rayne sent his consciousness speeding into the system and returned to the previous rewards interface. The two optional rewards he had previously given up appeared before him again.

[Skill Inheritance: Stealth (Intermediate)]

[Skill Inheritance: Shooting (Intermediate)]

I want both. Can't I just grab them both if I'm fast enough?

Rayne stared at the two skills, torn.

Shooting can immediately improve my combat power, but I don't have anywhere I need to fight for the time being.

Stealth... this is the first time this type of ability has appeared in the system. Its strategic value is immeasurable.

After a brief hesitation, Rayne made his choice.

[Skill Inheritance: Stealth (Intermediate)]!

A cool, delicate stream of information, like liquid mercury, silently merged into his brain and nervous system.

Countless pieces of knowledge and muscle memory regarding concealing his body, erasing his presence, and moving through the shadows were instantly engraved deep in his mind.

Rayne could feel that, if he wished, he could now easily meld with the shadows in the room.

Having done all that, Rayne was satisfied and ready to close the system and go to sleep.

But he suddenly noticed that the shop icon in the corner of the menu, which had once been gray, was now glowing with a faint blue light. It was no longer unavailable for selection.

Hm? When did this unlock? It didn't even give me a ding...

Rayne grumbled internally and tapped it without hesitation.

The light screen before him instantly changed. Two tabs formed from golden patterns appeared at the top of the display.

[Regular Goods], [Dimensional Curiosities]

Rayne's plan was clear. He first opened the more "plain and unadorned" [Regular Goods] tab and began browsing.

The next second, a dazzling list unfolded before him like a waterfall.

Rows upon rows of items appeared before him at once, like displays in an armory.

[Marine Standard Longsword]: Price: 200 Sin Points

[Marine Standard Flintlock]: Price: 200 Sin Points

[Fine Firearm Fifty Roars]: Price: 20,000 Sin Points

(Description: After exchange, you may customize a one-of-a-kind fine firearm through the system.)

[Skillful Grade Blade Fifty Crafts]: Price: 20,000 Sin Points

(Description: After exchange, you may customize a one-of-a-kind Skillful Grade Blade through the system.)

[Legendary Firearm Twelve Roars]: Price: 500,000 Sin Points

(...Customize a one-of-a-kind legendary firearm.)

[Supreme Grade Blade Twelve Crafts]: Price: 500,000 Sin Points

(...Customize a one-of-a-kind Supreme Grade Blade.)

There were not only swords, but also firearms that were rarely mentioned in the original work. Still, he could not afford any useful ones for now.

Rayne calmly closed that page. He knew perfectly well that these items had nothing to do with him for the foreseeable future.

Below the weapons section was the items section. [Seastone Bullets], [Eternal Pose], [Vivre Card], and [Devil Fruit Encyclopedia]—things that were priceless in the outside world—all had clearly marked prices here.

He even saw a [Devil Fruit Compass]: "You can designate a fruit, and the compass will point you in its direction."

It seemed like something that belonged in the world of One Piece, yet he had never seen it in the manga.

What excited him the most, however, were the items under the [Skills] and [Haki] categories.

Under the [Skills] category, he saw the two skills he possessed that were only at the [Basic] level:

[Skill: Basic Swordsmanship → Intermediate Swordsmanship]: Price: 1,000 Sin Points

[Skill: Basic Shooting → Intermediate Shooting]: Price: 1,000 Sin Points

[Skill: Intermediate Stealth → Advanced Stealth]: Price: 10,000 Sin Points.

Immediately afterward, he opened the [Haki] category. Most of the items within were gray.

[Haki: Basic Armament Haki → Intermediate Armament Haki]: (Gray, locked)

[Unlock condition: The host must first awaken or master Basic Armament Haki independently.]

[Haki: Basic Observation Haki → Intermediate Observation Haki]: (Gray, locked)

[Unlock condition: The host must first awaken or master Basic Observation Haki independently.]

As expected, Haki can't be bought out of thin air. I have to first master the "Basic" level... Rayne was not surprised.

After roughly browsing through all the goods, Rayne confirmed two core rules in his mind:

First, this shop was almost omnipotent. It could provide everything from weapons and skills to Haki and improvements in various arts. Only [Physique] could not be directly purchased with points, and the improvement of any ability could not exceed his Physique by more than one major level.

Second, the skill upgrade packs for [Skills] and [Haki] in the shop could only raise the level of abilities he already possessed. They could not make him learn an entirely new craft he knew nothing about out of thin air.

So that's how it is... Rayne instantly figured out the system's optimal path of growth!

[Exchange Shop] is essentially an upgrade station, not a learning machine. Its purpose is to rapidly raise my [Basic] skills to [Intermediate] or even [Advanced], saving me a huge amount of time.

[Execution Acquisition], on the other hand, is the real treasure trove! Not only is it the only way to obtain [Physique], but it's also an opportunity to acquire [Rare Talents] and [New Skills] that the shop cannot buy at all!

After all, the value of inheriting the [Physique] of a powerful expert absolutely cannot be measured in a few thousand or tens of thousands of points.

At that moment, Rayne's thoughts became incomparably clear:

From now on, among the [Optional Rewards], I must prioritize [Physique] or [Rare Skills/Talents] that cannot be bought in the shop. [Sin Points], meanwhile, should be used to quickly raise the levels of existing low-level standard skills!

Having sorted out his thoughts, Rayne looked at his balance of [Sin Points: 2420] and no longer hesitated in the slightest.

System, exchange for [Intermediate Swordsmanship] and [Intermediate Shooting]!

[Consumed 2,000 Sin Points... Exchange successful!]

Two massive streams of information poured into his mind. Countless techniques, tricks, and combat experiences involving swordsmanship and firearms appeared clearly before him, ready to be drawn upon at any time.

Rayne had an insight: as long as he began practicing, it would probably take only two or three days to bring both skills to the Intermediate level.

With the important matters handled, Rayne finally opened the seemingly high-end [Dimensional Curiosities] tab with a trace of curiosity.

Unlike the densely packed list in [Regular Goods], this page was exceptionally simple.

There was only a magnificent golden display stand. In the very center of it floated an item. Beneath it was a line of small text: "Refresh countdown: 29 days, 22 hours, 31 minutes..."

Rayne looked closely and discovered that it was a strangely shaped... camera?

[This Month's Curiosity: Outfit-Changing Camera]

Description: Place a designed clothing blueprint into the camera, aim it at the target, and take a photograph to instantly dress the target in the clothes from the blueprint.

Price: 50,000 Sin Points

Rayne stared at the description of this item in silence.

For a full ten seconds.

...That's it?

Fifty thousand points... just to... change clothes?

And this is a "curiosity" that only refreshes once a month?

This system... isn't being run by some perverted goddess with a dressing-up fetish, is it?!

Rayne felt the spirit of his inner snark burning fiercely.

He closed that "improper" page without hesitation. After all, for a long time to come, he would absolutely be unwilling to spend 50,000 points to exchange for something like that.