"Ah, welcome back, my friends!" Kasimir greeted us with a wide smile and a flourish of his hand, his eyes sparkling with avarice as he spotted the heavy pouch of coins I held.
"I see you have returned with the treasures of the earth! Excellent, excellent!" a satisfied smile spreading across his face. "Now, let us finalize this transaction and unlock the secrets of the Compass of Souls!"
However, before I could reach for the box, Kasimir's expression turned serious, a hint of concern clouding his features. "There is one small matter, my friends,"
he began, his voice hesitant. "Due to the... intricacies of the laws stated in the Multiverse Accords, I am unable to sell items that could significantly disrupt the balance of a world to individuals affiliated with a Jump-Chan."
Nobara's POV
"Hold on a minute," I interrupted, my mind reeling. "Jump-Chan? Multiverse? Are you telling me I'm dating a pair of ancient monsters who hop between dimensions like it's no big deal?"
Seriously, what the hell was going on? This was some next-level, conspiracy theory, internet forum craziness. I crossed my arms, staring down Zack and Miu with a fierce intensity. "Spill it," I demanded. "Are you guys like immortal beings who have been around since the dawn of time? Because if so, I'm outta here."
Zack sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's... complicated," he started, looking for the right words. "We're not ancient, Nobara. We're the same age as you. But... we're not from this world. Or rather, not from this version of this world."
"Okay, that's not helping," I snapped, my head spinning. "What the hell does that even mean?"
Miu stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder. "It means we're from a different reality, Nobara. A reality where things like cursed energy aren't a thing- instead of cursed energy we had Battle Ki, which is a mix of the basic Dou and Sei Ki's further enhanced by style-Ki and then flooded with battle aura. I mean, that's what the strong martial artists do at least?"
"And this 'Jump-Chan' thing?" I pressed, my suspicion still lingering.
"It's. a being that helps people travel between realities," Miu explained, her voice hesitant. "But there are rules, limitations. We can't just do whatever we want."
I nodded, with a scowl on my face Directing my attention to Zack, who I know is a shit liar when he's not doing it for fun by acting like a big yakuza, I ask slowly, "Are you or are you not an old monster?"
He smiled at me with an expression that was honest and truthful, I could tell. "No, Nobara, this is our first destination on our jumpchain. We're the same age as you, or atleast close enough that the distinction is worthless."
I studied their faces, searching for any hint of deception. To my surprise, all I saw was sincerity and a hint of desperation. For some reason, I knew they were telling the truth.
I let out a sigh of relief, my shoulders slumping. "Well, that's a load off my mind," I muttered. "I was starting to think I was going crazy."
I glanced at Zack and Miu, a mischievous grin spreading across my face. "So, you two are multiverse hopping adventurers, huh? Sounds exciting. Maybe you can take me with you sometime?"
Miu chuckled, returning my grin. "Sounds fun."
Turning my head back to the merchant who blew this up in my- partners? Boyfriend and girlfriend? Damn, labels later.
"And this compass thing, it breaks those rules?" I asked, glancing at the ornately carved box on the counter.
Kasimir shook his head. "Not at all, my dear. The Compass of Souls is perfectly acceptable within the accords. It is merely a tool for seeking, for understanding. It is the other… more potent artifacts within my collection that pose a potential risk to the delicate balance."
He winked conspiratorially. "But worry not, my friends. We can always find a suitable arrangement, a fair exchange for the knowledge and assistance you seek."
I nodded with a grin, "so, what would you say this compass is worth?"
He smiled, "Of course, 20 plantinum coins should suf-"
"Absolutely not." i said, my haggling mode active on full blast.
He lifted his hand with a grin. "Good, good! You passed the test! I always charge escalating prices to new customers until they dain to haggle. You, Madams and sir, are now allowed to see the rules of Kasimir's shop!"
He handed us each a pamphlet
Kasimir will try to charge you more than what the item is worth every time. remember to try haggling.
You can sell anything you want to kasimir, but it will be a lot lower than you wish at the start.
Kasimir does not like the !&@^@&^! but he thinks their tiering is smart, even if most branches shove the highest tiers into tier 10 or Tier X.
Items have 16 tiers.(Jumpchain affiliates are limited on a world-level basis.)
Upon purchasing an item or a bundle of items 10 times, kasimir will internally roll a 6-sided die. if he rolls one all items in the shop will stay the same price. if he rolls a 2, they will double if he rolls a 3, they will triple.
Upon purchasing 25 items or a bundle of items 25 times, the shop will close for 7 days, or 7 loops if you are in a time-loop and all items below the last tier will be removed from the shelves. If you are just starting out, all tier 1 items will disappear. All items will triple in price upon completion of the shelf depopulation. (If you are affiliated with a jump-Chan, Kasimir will be forced to leave the world and appear on the next.)
You can use any crafting facility, including the equipment merge pot and the item synthesis pot for a fixed price of 1 platinum coin for each use. This will not affect anything in the shop.
Upon entering a higher world, lower world currency is useless and can be exchanged for a 10:1 with 1 being the higher world equivalent.
Buying books on crafting is recommended.
I finished reading, and looked up to see Zack and Miu did the same.
"How much is the compass now that we're done with the bullshit."
He nodded, "Only 10 gold, I'm no longer up-charging you- but it's up to you to haggle." he smirks.
I was able to bring it down to 7 gold coins.
I grinned, "how much for a set of potions that both have the effect of gale force reading glasses and instill the ability to do anything plausible to be done with the current knowledge gained instilled into the body. I want ones that are permanent."
His eyes widen with a gleam of satisfaction. "Good, you are following the rules by putting multiple things into a single item. I also have that exact concoction with multiple levels of speed!"
I smirk, "don't ring us up just yet either. I think we'll need to buy a bundle of things, don't you Zack?" I give him a wink, and I follow kasimir.
As we follow him the shelves seem to shift and contract as space contorts in odd ways. Space becomes shorter and longer as more and more shelves are revealed.
In the distance I see a confused looking man in leather armor following another Kasimir.
"Ah, yes, you have discovered another customer with another echo of myself guiding him." Kasimir states as if what I just saw was even remotely normal.
Except none of this was even a bit normal so I just rolled with it.
"So, how does that echo thing work?" Zack starts, "Are you like a hive-mind or something?"
"Not quite, I am the personification of the bazaar. As in I am Kasimir the wandering bazaar. Not the owner, not the proprietor, not the salesman, but all of these things. As I AM the bazaar, I can be anywhere in the bazaar because the bazaar is me."
He stops, "We are here."
I nod and look at a shelf with hundreds of different potions. No, they go on endlessly.
Kasimir was snapping his fingers in front of my face. "Do not look into the shelves my dear, they are like an abyss, never ending. Your mind is not capable of that."
Zack was looking concerned, Miu was glaring at Kasimir, and I think I have a bloody nose.
Zack pulls a few tissues from- somewhere.
He hands them to me and I take them gratefully. "Thanks."
Zack proceeds to haggle down the unnamed potion that gives a 20x boost to reading speed and the ability to perform practical applications of book-learned knowledge by 20x.
Starting at 30 platinum, he is able to knock it down to 9 platinum. I am Excessively impressed, he somehow did a ton better than me.
3 of them are added to the bag, and our subtotal is 27 platinum and 7 gold.
"You, my good friend, are a negotiating monster! Ever think of going into manag-"
He interrupts him without even hearing him. "Nope,"
"What about a permanent potion of defense against projectiles? Ones that allow the resistance to all modern firearms?"
Kasimir nodded, "A prudent course of action when dealing with a modern world. Ending your journey due too early by being too late to dodge a sniper's bullet will surely be a disappointment." The shelves shift, and the shop moves around us.
The potion shelf we were looking for stops in front of us, and Zack ends up being a ridiculous level haggler again.
Seriously?! How is he doing this?
3 potions were added to the bundle.
Miu speaks up. "What about items from those Xianxia Novels i was reading?"
"You can buy herbs up to 300 years old, but no pills or manuals due to the multiverse accords sadly, and without those, the herbs would be useless due to your Ki not being Chi."
Miu's eyes narrowed. "What about herbs and fruit that purport to add permanent enhancements to physical strength and endurance, agility, and other similar things?"
Kasimir smiled. "Found a loophole, yes? Very good! Just know I am required to report any loopholes found. So, buying them now is the only option."
"Fruits that enhance agility, dexterity, perception, and reflexes." Miu nods.
We walk to another section, and haggle like crazy.
Zack performs god-level haggling technique.
It's super effective.
3 fruits of strange-lookingness are added to the bundle.
"Last but not least," Zack says, as a sadistic smile appears on his face. "Something to permanently stop unwanted modifications to the soul."
"I apologize, dear customer, but that does in fact break the balance of the world. The best I can do is an amulet that protects from 3 such attempts."
With a grimace, Zack nods.
Arriving at the location of the amulets, Zack does his haggling powers for great justice and all your amulets are belong to us.
3 amulets of excessively expensive effects are added to the bundle.
he haggled it down from 1000 each to 250 each, I am genuinely beyond impressed.
"It was wonderful doing business with you, my friends, don't forget to come back! I am very surprised that you were able to add all of that to one bundle!"
I saw zack nod and we left the Bazaar 917 platinum, 92 gold, and 750 silver lesser.
But with much power at our fingertips.
We eat our fruits and drink our potions.
We each put on our amulets.
With hate, Zack opens the compass and states his target, "Mahito, cursed spirit representing the fear of the evil of humans."
The compass spins 3 times and then points directly northeast.
Standing up, we leave the park behind.
It was time to kill this shitter.