Winston felt his head ache as he watched the screen before him.

  As a full day has passed since you entered the tower, a new feature will now be integrated! The System Shop will be available to all Contenders in: 00:07:33

  There was just so much that he didn’t understand! What was a ‘System Shop’? Time and time again, he was left in the dark when the System made a new announcement. This was all still so new to him, and his mind was having trouble processing it all.

  With a whimper, he lay down outside the command tent. When the System message came, Erynd had set him down and darted back into the tent. Even now, as he sat in confusion, he could hear them arguing.

  “I don’t think you understand! This has never happened before!”

  “Didn’t this happen last initiation, too?” Another voice interjected. “I overheard some of them speaking of a shop!”

  “No,” the voice had a slightly feminine tone, one that Winston recognized. Lorien. “There were merchants sent by the System on later floors. This is different!”

  “Silence!” The Commander shouted, voice sharp. “We can’t panic, not now. I don’t know what this is, but we have to address the camp. Let’s move!”

  Winston leaped back in surprise as the commander and half a dozen other Caltherans—including Taeris and Lorien—darted out of the tent.

  Seconds after, Erynd came out as well, scooping Winston up and pressing him to his chest.

  “It’ll be alright,” Erynd whispered to Winston, seeing his shocked state. “There’ll be an announcement in a few minutes. We’ll figure out what’s happening.”

  Oddly, Winston felt comforted, if only slightly. Still pressed to Erynd’s chest, they traveled through the camp.

  When bells began ringing throughout the camp, Winston nearly leaped out of Erynd’s arms in surprise, forcing Erynd to grab and steady him. Upon hearing the bells, Erynd abruptly turned, as if the seemingly random ringing told him exactly where to go.

  They arrived at a huge clearing at the edge of the camp. Already, there were hundreds upon hundreds of Caltherans in the clearing, and thousands more rushing over. At the edge of the clearing, set against the rocky mountains that encircled the camp, was a hastily erected stage. Standing upon it was the Caltheran commander and several others who had been in the command tent.

  A minute later, most of the Caltherans within the camp were in the clearing, and the commander began.

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  “I know that many of us are not yet here, but I must begin before we all get access to this ‘System Shop.’” He cleared his throat, ignoring the thousands of pairs of eyes trained on him. “This is…unprecedented, to say the least, but I must ask you not to panic. It isn’t common knowledge, but the System adds new features with every new initiation. This may seem like a huge change, but in the end, it’s just another new addition.

  “In the past, every time a new feature has been added, it has been beneficial. When the System Shop comes, we need to take advantage of it. Not only do we not know how long this opportunity will last, but for the first time, we are not the only species in the tower. The System likes to play fair, so odds are, they will get it too. We must organize to learn as much as we can about the System Shop. In the coming days, experiment with it, but be careful. If you find anything, come report it to us. I don’t care how insignificant your discovery might seem; we will take it!”

  The commander took a deep breath, “For the next few weeks, we will do our best to share all of our accumulated knowledge of the System Shop. Thank you for your time. Long live the Emperor!”

  The commander’s cry was repeated by the gathered Caltherans, echoing through the surrounding mountains. The Caltherans broke into chatter as the timer steadily grew closer to zero.

  Still nested on Erynd’s shoulder, Winston looked around in anticipation. What would happen when the System Shop arrived? Would it be an actual shop? Or maybe a person?

  Looking at the Caltherans, he had to squint as sunlight reflected off the facets of hundreds of crystals. A moment later, the crowds were buzzing with excitement as the countdown went under a minute.

  Striding over to a nearby tree, Erynd sat down, setting Winston on his lap.

  Winston forced himself to stay awake as Erynd gently rubbed his back. He’d slept while he was being brought to the camp, but it’d been a fitful rest at best. He practically salivated at the thought of having a real sleep for the first time since he got sent to the Tower.

  He was so entranced by the idea of sleep that he leaped out of Erynd’s lap in surprise when the notification came.

  The System Shop has arrived!

  Items, Skills, and Information can be purchased through the shop. The currency will be Standard System Credits, which can be earned by defeating beasts and completing quests. Contenders can sell and purchase through the shop. When selling, Contenders can sell directly to the System Shop for 50% of their value. From floor 11 onward, Contenders have the option to put their items up for auction.

  Winston tilted his head. Contenders would only get 50% of the value from items they sold? That didn’t seem right!

  The System Shop can be accessed by every Contender at almost any time, excluding during combat with certain enemies or in special areas that restrict access. Starting on the 11th floor, there will be another leaderboard. This leaderboard will be based on the total value of the items a Contender has sold or auctioned off through the System Shop.

  Additionally, rewards will be given to each contender after they reach a new floor. These will be based on leaderboard rankings. The System Shop can be opened the same way as the leaderboards.

  Finally, all Contenders will begin with 100 Credits. Use them wisely, and good luck!