He Had Used Far Too Much Force

And he had no idea what sort of class-change quest would trigger then.

Lynn quickly carried his lamp toward the Potion Shop.

He still dared not linger outside. Although he was much stronger than before, who knew what kind of monster might suddenly emerge from the black fog and drag him into the darkness?

He was still far too weak!

Fortunately, though.

Nothing terrible happened along the way.

When he reached the shop entrance, the lit Soul Lamp gave off a faint glow, and there was no sign that anyone had visited the shop.

"So did something happen to my teacher?"

Lynn sat at the counter, tapping the tabletop uncertainly.

After leaving in a hurry, his teacher had said he would return within two days. But it was already the third day, and his teacher still hadn't appeared. Lynn couldn't help wondering whether something strange was going on.

"Maybe something held him up."

Lynn's gaze remained steady.

He tapped the tabletop and decided to explore the [Vision Realm] first.

Yesterday, the incident with the Blood-Robed Evil Spirit had interrupted his exploration. Today, he really needed to take a proper look around.

"Enter!"

[Skeleton Coins -500]

A wave of intense nausea washed over him.

Lynn abruptly opened his eyes. Once again, the enormous plaza appeared before him, along with the gigantic eyeball above it.

He had returned to the Vision Realm.

"Let's see what they're talking about first!"

Lynn quickly opened the Region Channel to see whether he could learn anything.

[Region Channel]

[Blood Doll]: "Queen! Queen! How did it go?! Did that human apprentice die horribly?! Did you twist his head off and turn it into a chamber pot?"

[Burned Ghost]: "@Queen! Please tell us all the details. We're dying to know what happened!"

[Long-Haired Ghost]: "Shutting down..."

[Skeleton Demon]: "Queen, are you there?! Did you decisively deal with the fellow who dared to bully your daughter?"

[Evil Spirit Queen]: "..."

[Blood Doll]: "(Excited) Queen, you're here! Well?! Did that fellow get the punishment he deserved?"

[Evil Spirit Queen]: "Mm... (Shy) He... made me feel really good..."

Buzzz-

In an instant, the Region Channel fell silent.

"..."

"..."

Then countless "???" began flooding the screen.

[Blood Doll]: "(꒪Д꒪) Huh?"

[Burned Ghost]: "(Stunned) Wh-what felt really good?"

[Evil Spirit Queen]: "I was too hotheaded yesterday (Blushing). He really is a very capable doctor. I shouldn't have treated him so rudely. But I did keep my word. Since I said I'd eat him, of course I ate him. I just did it a different way, that's all (Shy)."

[Everyone]: "?!!!"

[Evil Spirit Queen]: "Ahem, that's enough. He used too much force. (˘•ω•˘) I'm going to get some proper sleep. Goodbye!"

[Everyone]: "(ΩДΩ)!!"

What do you mean, a little swollen and sore? Explain yourself!

And what exactly was that different way?!

Why did it feel as though something strange and unmentionable had happened at the queen's house last night?!

[Burned Ghost]: "(ΩДΩ) Queen, please explain! What exactly happened to that fellow?! Queen! Queen!"

[Skeleton Demon]: "(Stunned) This has to be a joke! It has to be! Are you saying that human kid not only survived, but even... even won over the powerful Evil Spirit Queen?!"

Snap-

Lynn closed the Region Channel with unimaginable speed, his eyes wide as cold sweat poured off him like rain.

No.

I didn't!

Stop jumping to conclusions!

That female Evil Spirit was far too uninhibited! Why could she just casually blurt out absolutely anything?!

Lynn shook his head hard.

Sure, they had played some suggestive games that night, but they absolutely hadn't gone all the way. They hadn't!

Lynn forced himself to calm down.

He closed the Region Channel.

He decided not to think about those strange things anymore.

Lynn began carefully exploring the Vision Realm's other features.

After all, the Vision Realm might become another avenue for his future growth. If he could open something like a modern online shop, that would be ideal.

Soon.

It didn't take long for Lynn to get a rough grasp of some of the Vision Realm's basic features.

And once he understood them, Lynn grew increasingly suspicious that the so-called supreme will really might have come from the same place as him.

Because so many of its elements were far too similar to an online game.

First.

1. All creatures could post information in the Vision Realm. They could charge for it, but posting required paying a portion of Skeleton Coins as a processing fee.

2. They could post within their current region, or choose to broadcast across the entire Vision Realm or an even larger area, but that required the corresponding permissions and higher fees.

3. Apart from the [Region Channel] corresponding to each plaza, there were also broader [Domain Channels], as well as the largest public channel, the [World Channel].

Exactly!

It was precisely the words [World Channel] that made Lynn deeply suspicious about the nature of this Vision Realm.

Because they just didn't fit the setting!

4. They could spend a certain number of Skeleton Coins to register their own shop and identity in a designated area of the Vision Realm, but they would be charged one Black Skull Coin every day.

That was right!

A full 1,000 Skeleton Coins a day!

5. Besides trading within the Vision Realm, they could also accept quests posted by various creatures in designated areas and earn Skeleton Coins as payment.

One could say.

The Vision Realm was practically an independent economic system unto itself.

If the vast majority of those walking around weren't dark creatures, he would have thought he had logged into a massive online game!

And number six!

This was also the point that caught Lynn's attention the most.

Within the Vision Realm, there was also a place distinct from the other areas, called the [Contract Territory].

According to its description, it collected prayers and sacrifices from the various Worlds Above and transmitted them to the Dark World in real time.

As long as they met the conditions, they could sign a temporary contract with a creature above.

Through [Demon Summoning], they could descend into that creature's world, fulfill the contract, and receive the offerings that creature had sacrificed.

"If that's how it works..." Lynn mused.

"Could there be prayers from Earth? If there are, wouldn't that mean I could go home this way?"

That was indeed a very tempting prospect.

Because for a boy in his teens.

Being away from home for two years.

And in a Dark World like this, no less.

It would have been a lie to say he didn't miss home.

But Lynn wasn't in a hurry. He still had other things to do.

"Teleport, trading area!"

Lynn tapped the rune on his hand.

And in the very next moment.

A six-pointed magic circle shimmering with blue light appeared beneath his feet, and he instantly vanished from the spot.

[City of Sin Advanced Weapon Shop: Black Obsidian Greatshield for sale. Suitable for humanoid creatures. Price: 11 Black Skull Coins. Focus your gaze to teleport.]

[Beholder Mechanics Shop: Limb reconstruction services available. High-grade Mana Cores for sale. Prices negotiable. Focus your gaze to teleport!]

[Cyclops Slave Shop: One [Fox Girl] from the Violet World for sale. Fair-skinned and beautiful. Mentally controllable, trainable, and suitable to keep. Price: 5 Black Skull Coins. Focus your gaze to teleport.]