Chapter 04: Exploring the Cost of Power

The first light of dawn streamed through the window of Lucas' guest room, rousing him from a restless sleep. He stretched out in the comfortable bed, his thoughts immediately returning to the events of the previous day. The repairs, the purchases, the looming sense of responsibility over his newly acquired Domain—it all weighed heavily on him.

As he pulled on his clothes, the soft hum of the shop greeted him. It was more than just a building now; it was his sanctuary, his business, his entire world. Yet despite the sense of security the Domain granted him, Lucas felt a creeping unease. How long could he hide here? How long could he rely on the few thousand Karma points he had left before he would need to start earning more?

He made his way to the Food Bar, now fully operational and ready for customers that hadn't yet arrived. It felt strange to walk into a room filled with tables, knowing that for now, they would remain empty. The sleek drink machine in the corner hummed softly, waiting to dispense beverages, while the kitchen stood stocked and ready for use.

Lucas poured himself a glass of water and sat down at one of the tables, staring at the glowing Karma Balance window that floated in his vision.

Karma Balance: 1,900.

He had spent most of the previous day renovating the shop and purchasing basic amenities. But with his limited remaining Karma, he needed to figure out how to generate more. The thought of running out of Karma—and losing the ability to maintain his Domain—sent a chill down his spine. Without the protection of the shop, he would be vulnerable to the outside world once again, to the thugs that had nearly killed him.

That wasn't an option.

Lucas opened the Karma menu again, flipping through the options for how to earn points. The system had given him multiple avenues, but none of them seemed easy or immediate. He studied each one carefully, searching for the most efficient way to generate Karma.

Karma Generation Methods: Exchange Money for Karma

Daily limit: 1,000 Karma points for $10,000.

Lucas grimaced. $10,000 a day was a ridiculous sum, and he didn't have even a fraction of that amount. Without access to his uncle's bank accounts or other assets, this method was out of the question. Selling Products (Food, VR Access, Room Rentals, etc.) for Karma

He glanced at the empty Food Bar around him. He could sell meals or rent out the VR machines for Karma, but he had no customers yet. He'd need to draw people in somehow—perhaps by advertising the place once he felt safe enough to venture outside. But for now, this option wasn't immediately viable. Converting Special Items to Karma

Antiques or objects with significant personal history can be converted for Karma.

This caught his attention. The shop was once filled with antiques, though most had been converted into Karma points during the initial Domain setup. He could search the market for more items of value, but that would require cash—another dead end for now. Other Sources of Karma—TBD

The list seemed incomplete, with other potential methods listed as "Coming Soon" or locked behind special conditions.

None of the options provided an immediate solution to his problems. He drummed his fingers against the table in frustration. Without the capital to buy goods or the connections to bring in customers, his options were limited.

He stared at the food bar setup, thinking. He could sell meals for Karma or cash, but there was no one here to buy them. The idea of venturing out into the city to advertise sent a shiver down his spine. The fear of encountering the gang members again was ever-present, gnawing at the back of his mind.

For now, he was trapped. But the situation wouldn't last forever.

Lucas stood up from the table, grabbing a piece of bread from the pantry for a quick breakfast, and made his way to the back of the shop. The blue menu appeared again as he pondered his next move.

"I need to explore more options. Something that can give me a real edge," he muttered, opening the Karma store to see what else was available.

Karma Store

Products

Software

Games:Skyrim: 1,000 KarmaHarry Potter: 1,000 KarmaMinecraft: 1,000 KarmaHalo: 1,000 Karma

AI:

Cortana: 2,000,000 KarmaSkynet: 1,000,000 Karma

Medical Supplies

Bandages: 100 KarmaBasic Healing Items: 500 KarmaAdvanced Healing Kit: 10,000 Karma

Vehicles

Spaceships:

Entry-level ship: 1,000,000 KarmaMid-range ship: 10,000,000 KarmaCapital-class ship: 100,000,000 Karma

Lucas nearly choked on his bread when he saw the prices for some of the items. Millions of Karma points for AI systems? A spaceship? He scrolled further, feeling increasingly out of his depth. The everyday items, like games and basic medical supplies, were affordable. But the more exotic products—the advanced AI systems and spaceships—were far beyond his reach.

Wissen (Knowledge)

Books (Various Topics)Knowledge Orbs (Various Topics) – 100x the price of the corresponding book.

Books were another option. They ranged from technical manuals to magical tomes, with prices starting as low as 100 Karma points and climbing into the tens of thousands. Lucas skimmed through the list of subjects: engineering, programming, energy sciences, magical theory, medicine, alchemy, and even genetics. It was overwhelming how much knowledge was available for the taking—if he could afford it.

Fähigkeiten (Skills)

Skill OrbsHarry Potter Magic: 10,000,000 KarmaJedi/Sith Force Abilities: 100,000,000 KarmaSuperman's Powers: 1,000,000,000 Karma

"Well, that's just ridiculous," Lucas mumbled, shaking his head. The skill orbs that granted abilities from various fictional universes were outrageously expensive. Becoming a Jedi or mastering Harry Potter-style magic would require more Karma than he could ever hope to accumulate in a lifetime.

The cost of these exotic powers seemed unattainable for someone like him, trapped in a rundown shop with barely 1,900 Karma points to his name.

Lucas leaned back in his chair, feeling a sense of growing frustration. The everyday items were practical, affordable even, but anything that would give him a real advantage—a spaceship, AI, or advanced magical abilities—was far out of reach.

He considered his options again: He could convert money into Karma, but he didn't have $10,000 to spare. He could sell food or access to the VR machines, but without customers, that was impossible. Antiques were another option, but he'd already sold most of his uncle's inventory to get this far.

The only other suggestion the menu gave him was regarding Negative Karma.

Dimensional Shop: Negative Karma Usage Unlocked

"Negative Karma can only be used for Dimensional Shop transactions. Please view the Dimensional Shop to explore available items."

"Negative Karma?" Lucas frowned. The mention of it intrigued him. He hadn't encountered anything like that yet, but the system was prompting him to explore the Dimensional Shop. He pulled up the menu, curiosity overtaking his hesitation.

The Dimensional Shop window opened, revealing an entirely new set of options. These were different from the usual items—darker, more dangerous in nature.

Dimensional Shop Dark ArtifactsCursed Blade: 500 Karma (Negative)Blood Pact Scroll: 1,000 Karma (Negative) Forbidden KnowledgeDark Magic Grimoire: 10,000 Karma (Negative)Necromancy Tome: 100,000 Karma (Negative)

The items listed were ominous, to say the least. Dark artifacts, cursed objects, and forbidden knowledge. The mention of Negative Karma seemed to imply that these items came with a cost beyond just points. Lucas had no idea what using such things might entail, but the temptation was undeniable.

Still, something about the Negative Karma section unsettled him. There was a sense of foreboding that accompanied the items. While they promised power, Lucas had no doubt they came with serious risks. He closed the Dimensional Shop window, unwilling to dive into such dangerous territory just yet.

Feeling the weight of his limited options, Lucas made his way back to his guest room. The day had been spent contemplating his future, but he felt no closer to a solution. He lay down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, his mind racing with thoughts of the Karma system and how he could leverage it to survive.

Sleep came slowly, but eventually, exhaustion overtook him.

The next morning, Lucas awoke to the sunlight streaming through the curtains, a fresh sense of determination building within him. He might not have all the answers yet, but he wasn't going to give up. After a quick breakfast from the Food Bar, he opened the Karma store again, scrolling through the available items with renewed focus.

He had to find a way to make this work.

For now, he would start small—use the resources he had, gather more Karma where possible, and slowly build his way up to the power he needed. As daunting as the future seemed, Lucas knew one thing for certain:

He wasn't going to let fear or limited Karma stop him from mastering the power of the shop.