{Edited} The Tiger's Bourbon - Chapter 2 (Patreon)

EDITED - August 7th, 2026

Chapter 2: Read The Descriptions

“Huh.” Axel grunted intelligently as he scratched his ass and viewed the area outside his front door.

Gone was the narrow graffiti-covered walls. Gone was the dirty alleyway. Gone was the position of the sun that should not have been reaching his windows at six in the morning.

In its place was an imitation of Venice, with a sprawling metropolis in the distance that he didn’t recall moving to last night.

“Well, that’s interesting.” Axel slowly closed the door, processed, opened it again to double check, closed it again, and returned to his kitchen with a thoughtful look.

He raised a finger, dropped it, raised it again, felt his stomach rumble, shrugged, and opened his fridge. ‘I’m thinking a classic American breakfast. Pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Did I buy fresh coffee beans?’

Axel went on with his morning, either intentionally or uncaringly ignoring the blue floating screen flashing from the locked basement door in his stairway. He had taken one look at it when he walked down the stairs, blinked, and turned away with a shrug to go grab the mail.

It did not matter that it kept going off like a toaster oven.

It did not matter that it kept flashing like a strobe light.

All that mattered was breakfast and making his pancakes a geometrical masterpiece.

‘With coffee in hand, there is no noise, nor distraction, that man cannot drive out from his conscious mind.’ Axel nodded sagely as he drank his morning brew. Not leaving his seat till the last drop was gone.

The noise and strobe-like effect increased in an almost excited way as he entered the kitchen, then stopped short as Axel turned sharply to the sink to wash his dishes.

If one could generate a feeling of aggravation through toaster dings and neon flashing blue lights, Axel bore witness to none of the linguistic phenomena as he lined the dish rack with the ease of a NYC resident drowning out the existence of a homeless man on his way to work.

Only after the dish went out to dry and he refilled his coffee cup did Axel address the odd situation he woke up to and walk over to the basement door. “So, what are you supposed to be?”

[Shop System Unlocked!]

“Is that so?”

[Initiate tutorial?]

“For?”

[Please press your hand against the door.]

“And?”

[And then proceed inside.]

“To do what?”

[…]

Experiencing the feeling of an inanimate object becoming speechless was a surreal experience. More so because he had coffee.

[Shop System locked.]

“Hn.” Axel nodded and sipped his drink. “Guess I’ll take a shower.” And with that he turned and left up the stairs with a yawn. “I’m thinking salmon for lunch.”

[…]

0000

An hour later, a refreshed Axel came back down the stairs rubbing his head with a towel to see the door flashing once more in a far dimmer, more subdued, light.

[Shop System Unlocked.] 

“…”

[…]

The door slid open with an unspoken request.

A snort left Axel’s lips. “Alright, let’s see what Uncle Jeff was hiding in his basement.”

He stepped through the doorway and found a descending tunnel filled with large slabs of stairs lit by soft light.

The blue screen lit up on the wall as he walked. [Tutorial initiated. Welcome, User, to the Shop System. A multiversal system supplying users with the shops of their dreams.]

“Why?”

[Not important.]

“Ok. Why me?”

[The previous User paid for the inheritance perk. Play recorded message?]

The blue screen flickered and a paused video popped up with the option to begin.

Axel’s steps froze as he beheld the smiling face of his beloved uncle with a flicker of emotion passing through his eyes.

“Play it.”

{Testing, testing, is this video thing working?} His uncle’s familiar booming voice brought an unconscious grin to Axel’s face as he watched the giant man look off screen for a moment and nod happily. {Good! I’ll keep this short. If you’re seeing this message, then I’m six feet under, and you have stumbled on my greatest secret. Axel, you brat, I hope it’s you who finds it.}

The man pointed a large finger at the screen and smiled wide. {This thing is pretty cool, eh? Just came to me one day and confused the stuffing out of me when I wandered off into a new world. But the payoff was more than worth it. In case of my death, I paid for this Shop System to wait around in my place for twenty years for someone to pass my requirements, and I have a feeling it’s going to be you.}

‘How did he know I would get it?’ Axel internally asked.

{I never got along with your mother, and the man she married only enhanced her worst qualities. But I saw the spark in your eyes when I had you over. I know the eyes of a man who found love in making food, and if anyone would inherit my legacy, I hoped it would be you.}

‘Uncle…’

{Of course, even a janitor could fulfill my requirements, so you getting this is mostly down to luck.}

‘…..Uncle.’

{There were only three things you needed. Being related to me. Showing my kitchen the due respect it deserves with your own hands. And making a heartfelt meal with the old tools I’ll make sure are left behind. The building itself will actively resist being altered by third parties until the twenty-year time period ends, but if it weren’t for that first requirement, I’m sure anyone could have eventually stumbled on this. Sure hope it’s you, Axel! Hahaha!}

‘…’

{Anyway, if you’re seeing this, whoever you are, the shop system is yours from now on. I won’t spoil the surprise, but it was the greatest thing to ever happen to me. Trust in it and read the descriptions thoroughly so you don’t get a mess of abilities like I had. If I’m dead, that’s probably the reason something managed to do me in. But this message isn’t about me. The journey is yours from now on, so get out there and live it to the fullest.}

The video ended there with the man giving his iconic thumbs up, radiating optimistic enthusiasm, and Axel could only stare silently at the single family member he wished he could have had more time with. ‘It’s not fair…’

His stomach twisted with a cocktail of emotions, but then, the video flickered and a new one replaced it with his uncle in the same pose.

{Oh, and one more thing. Axel, I know it’s you who will see this. I don’t know how long it will take or how old you will be, but I know only you would have the will and desire to take on my old place one day.} Uncle Jeff’s gaze was locked onto the frozen Axel, the trace of humor gone as the large man spoke earnestly.

{No matter what happened for you to end up here, no matter what you’ve succeeded or failed with, know that here and now, I’m proud of you. For you to stand there and see this, it means you kept the lessons I left you with. It’s not about the money or fame; it’s about the heart and soul of a chef being dedicated to his craft. No matter where life takes you, as long as you never betray that, I will never stop looking down on you proudly. Do me proud, kid.}

A sole tear went down Axel’s cheek as he turned away from that look of sheer confidence on his uncle’s face. ‘Stupid old man, stop trying to be cool.’

The video flicked a final time while his head was turned.

{And remember, CONSTANT CLEANLINESS!} The voice boomed through the tunnel and Axel fell on his ass with a wince at the ensuing echo.

‘Son of a bitch planned that.’

Uncle Jeff winked his way before the video finally stopped on that shit-eating smirk.

[Recording End.]

Axel grumbled and wobbled back up to his feet, trying to get the ringing out of his head. ‘And just like that, I’m not missing him anymore. Well played, Uncle.’

A chuckle suddenly came to him, a chuckle that turned into a laugh, a laugh that had him bursting with a dozen emotions for a solid minute before he slowly calmed. ‘You old bastard.’

He looked toward the screen and nodded once, the emotions within him settling. ‘I’ll see you around, Mr. Incredible.’

He tapped the screen and the video flickered out.

[Inheritance package complete. Please proceed to the central pedestal.]

“Yeah, sure.” Axel commented idly, still lost in his reverie, and continued down the stairs, coming up on a large doorway into a dark space. “Can’t see in here. Lights?”

[Default settings set by previous user, please clap.]

“Uncle, I suddenly feel more respect for you.”

He brought his hands together and clapped, activating a flood of lights that turned on one after another like a Batcave, revealing a space that should not have been possible beneath his shop.

Axel stood on a metal scaffold with a few large steps leading down to a chamber the size of an arena. A dome, lined with flat white square tiles, its concrete walls broken by evenly spaced warehouse shutters.

Down inside, a dozen large rectangular counters made of hardwood stood one after the other to one side, all with sinks embedded in their design. Giant chains hung over a series of large drainage caps. And an assortment of various sized stoves and grills sparkled in the light.

‘What the hell was Uncle butchering? A whale?’ Axel could only gape at the size of those hanging chains.

Yet even with all of it, the chamber was a mostly empty space, even without trying to see what was behind the warehouse shutters.

Seeing all of it brought the first eloquent thought Axel had bursting from his lips. “What the fuck?”

A prompt appeared on the nearest wall.

[The Shop System changes to fit the needs of the user. As the last user chose the Inheritance package, as well as the new user being focused on culinary arts, some of the benefits have passed on. If the current user chooses a different profession or wishes for a reset, the current space will be returned to its default setting. Do you wish to reset?]

Axel read the script, looked at the dream kitchen around him, and looked back. “I’m good.”

[Very well. Please proceed to the central pedestal.]

Axel blinked and looked down, only now noticing a thin pedestal rising from the floor. “That?”

[Yes.]

“Ok.”

His steps echoed in the space as he silently marveled at the surreal experience. Like being inside a spherical indoor football stadium, alone, in the middle of the night.

The line of kitchen counters made his hands itch, but Axel had nothing to use them for.

The pedestal was similar to a podium at a church, with a flat stone tablet resting on top. The blue screen moved to hover above it as he approached.

[Place a hand on the tablet for system integration.]

“What’s that?”

[System integration fundamentally changes the body of the user down to the soul and cellular level, healing genetic faults, internal injuries, and allowing for rapid changes in physical, mental, and spiritual abilities in accordance with the user’s choices and actions. Furthermore, the user will gain access to remote system screens connected to the main pedestal for sub system uses.]

“Like a Bluetooth connection.”

[It is a highly complex magic ritual connected to various states of existence.]

“Like a Bluetooth connection.” Axel repeated.

[…please press a hand to the tablet to proceed.]

Axel got the sense the system was dejected as he reached out for the tablet.

[Warning, integration process is highly…]

His hand came down on the tablet and Axel lost motor control of his body.

[Painful.]

“…”

Axel silently stared at the system prompt, and he could swear it stared back for a moment before speaking.

[User is advised to stay conscious for as long as possible for full integration.]

‘Dick move.’

A spark of electricity was Axel’s only warning before his body lit up like a Christmas tree, his throat seizing, stealing the sound from his lungs.

A pain unlike any he felt before settled through him. It found places he had never consciously been aware of before and poked them with a high-powered cattle prod fit for an elephant.

Somewhere in the deep throes of internal agony, a part of his mind that tried to escape the stress had to wonder if he was experiencing what it felt like to grab an electric eel. 

At some point Axel blacked out and woke up on the floor next to the pedestal, laying on his side.

‘Ow.’

There was no physical evidence of what he had just experienced, but the phantom sensations were still going strong as his muscles twitched. He pushed himself up and rolled his jaw with a frown.

“Ow.”

He felt it had to be said twice.

Only then did he pay attention to the flashing blue screen floating in front of his face, this time directly in his line of sight.

[Integration successful. Welcome, Axel Marq, as the newly registered user.]

Axel deadpanned at it as his muscles spasmed. “For future reference, I prefer the warnings first.”

[Noted.]

He rolled his eyes and pushed up against the pedestal on wobbly feet before he examined himself fully. “I don’t feel any different?” He took a deep breath and as the pain rapidly faded, he couldn’t help but pause at how smooth his body felt. “I’m breathing easier?”

[Integration has corrected genetic disorders, rejuvenated atrophied muscle groups, purged toxin buildup from the User's lungs, and offset early signs of long-term damage from decompression sickness.]

“Oh.” Axel rolled his shoulders experimentally and marveled at how smooth everything felt. ‘A mix of my mother’s drinking habits while pregnant, years of working in small kitchens with noxious fumes and cleaning supplies, that year in college where I got into smoking before I quit for an ex, and my deep sea dives had all been piling up. Who knew?’

He did a few jumps before turning to the screen. “Is anything else supposed to happen?”

[Please choose a Class and Skill set at the Pedestal.]

“You’re really big on this pedestal thing. What happened to my Bluetooth?”

[Remote access is for sub systems. The pedestal is a direct connection to the core and is used to make changes to the User or the Shop.]

Axel scratched his head. “What are you anyway? An AI or something?”

[Recalibrating User’s estimated wisdom statistics.]

“You can do that?”

[The system’s purpose is the indirect assistance of the User’s growth both as an individual and a shop. The Shop System is responsive and cannot take action without input.]

“Huh, what else can you do?”

[The Pedestal is required for change. Inside the shop, user may use the remote access to use unlocked shop functions. Outside the shop, the system will be disconnected from the core and may only offer assistance through projecting analyzed data.]

“Interesting.” Axel nodded at the simple answer and turned to the Pedestal. “Now what’s this about a Class? Sounds like a video game.”

Sadly, Axel wasn’t much of a gamer, knowing more from memes than experience.

[The system provides the User with a personalized growth path explained through the logic of a game for the sake of ease of use. Statistics have shown that Users are far more motivated if shown growth in numerical form.]

“Show me what you got.”

[Understood. Please access the Pedestal.]

“Not gonna shock me this time?”

[No.]

Axel hummed and flicked the tablet before it lit up with a larger, more solid, system screen than the one he was looking at before.

[User: Axel Marq]

[Shop Mode: Restaurant]

[World Travel]

Three tabs were available for view. ‘Hm…let’s go in reverse here.’

He started with World Travel.

[World Travel - Picture the world which you desire to go to among your active connections, and then open the door. Toggle off worlds to disable connection.

-          Earth {1674} (Online)

-          Gourmet World {3487} (Online)

-          Random: 3 Shop Points]

‘Gourmet World?’ Axel’s eyes shone in interest. ‘A world of gourmet? What does that even mean? I’ll geek out later.’ He switched to the second tab.

[Shop Mode: Restaurant – The Shop System has been tailored for a restaurant style experience. Purchase various functions in the store to enhance your journey.

Available SP: 3 – Gain a Shop Point every 5 class levels or through special achievements.

Unlocked:

-          Default: [Language Translation] – Inside the shop, all common languages are understood.

-          Default: [No Questions Asked] – Curiosity for how the shop functions is normal, however, those who dig deeper will find themselves suddenly uninterested in finding answers. This effect vanishes on individuals if the User reveals the truth.

-          Default: [Nothing To See Here] – The basement access door will not hold interest in the minds of a viewer unless granted access.

-          Inherited: [Basement Dome lvl 7] – The essential workshop of any crafter, designed to the specifications of a chef. Space Expanded by 500%. Self-Repairing. Sanitation available upon request. Customizable side chambers. Ingredient Preservation. All harm from status effects are disabled within the dome. Recovery is enhanced by 200% within the dome.

Shop Options:

-          [Apartment Upgrades.]

-          [Basement Upgrades.]

-          [Blacklist] – Blacklisted customers will find themselves losing complete interest in finding the shop, directly or indirectly. Does not apply to memories of products available inside the shop. Customer must have stepped in the shop at least once to be marked.

-          [Building Durability Lvl 1] – Every purchase of this function increases total durability of all walls, floors, furniture, and utilities within the shop by 20%.

-          [Calming Scent Lvl 1] – All who enter will find themselves relaxing through a scent that calms them.

-          [Currency Conversion Lvl 1] – Any common currency of connected worlds may be converted through the cash register.

-          [Customer Aversion Field Lvl 1] – Passing pedestrians easily ignore your shop.

-          [Customer Attraction Field Lvl 1] – Passing pedestrians find more interest in your shop.

-          [Direct Storage Access] – Summon and deposit ingredients in basement storage to the main floor kitchen.

-          [Dishwasher] – Automatically cleans, dries, and places dishes back in cabinets as soon as they enter the sink.

-          [Ingredient Shop] - Spend a shop point to purchase any ingredient you have previously used within the shops kitchen.

-          [Language Acquisition lvl 1] – You are able to speak and read the most common language of the nearby territory outside of the shop.

-          [Legal Confusion] – Attempts to gain control of the shop through legal channels will ultimately fail. Often leading persistent lawyers to an early retirement.

-          [Pest and Rodent Removal lvl 1] – All common pests and rodent breeds are immediately removed from the premises.

-          [Repairs lvl 1] – All damages to the shop will repair themselves at a slow rate.

-          [Tax Evasion] – Flip the bird to all governmental bodies. The shop does not pay taxes. Any taxes. 

-          …..]

The list went on but Axel quickly tuned it out as soon as he saw [Pest and Rodent Removal]. His mind zeroed in on it like a cat with a laser pointer. ‘My nemesis.’

[Tax Evasion] called to a different part of him, the part that suffered property taxes ever since inheriting the restaurant.

But to a man who worked in half a dozen restaurants, there was no greater enemy than pests and rodents. ‘Roaches, rats, lice, termites, bed bugs….’

A haunted thousand-yard stare echoed deep in his eyes before his finger flew to the option fast enough to bruise the bone.

[Pest and Rodent Removal lvl 1

Price: 1 SP

Purchase? Yes/No] 

There was no hesitation.

[Pest and Rodent Removal lvl 1 activated.]

A sound not unlike an electric bug zapper rung throughout the building from top to bottom, and a deep soothing calm came over Axel’s soul. ‘Is it wrong that this moment is more touching than Uncle Jeff’s final message?’

The answer to that went unsaid as he basked in the moment of acquiring a pest free environment before checking the next level of the function.

[Pest and Rodent Removal lvl 2 – Benefits now apply to both microscopic and uncommon pests and rodents.

Price: 2 SP.]

‘Grrr, must resist.’ The first purchase might have been spontaneous, but he could at least justify it to himself. Going further would be pushing it.

Only after he was through with that did he allow himself to whistle at the inherited benefit. ‘Damn, you were really crazy about this dome, Uncle.’

He took another look around the place with a new sense of appreciation, just now noticing how revitalized he actually felt in the room. He turned back to the list and read it over. ‘Quite a few options here. I’ll decide what to spend the other two points on later.’

He switched to the last tab.

[User: Axel Marq.

Class: (Please Select a Class)

Active Skills: 0/5Passive Skills: 0/5

MP: 100/100 – Mana Recovery set to 1% a minute.]

“I’m a wizard, Harry?”

[…]

“I can do magic?”

[Mana is collected and generated through the soul. All beings with souls have the potential for harnessing mana, however, not all beings are born in worlds rich in mana, nor born with a stable channel to access said mana.]

“Sooo?”

[Yes. User has access to magic. Please choose a Class and Skillset.]

“Cool.” The background information was interesting, but he wasn’t the scholarly type unless it had to do with food. “How are Class options generated?”

[Classes are generated based on the Users life experience.]

His finger moved to the Class selection button and a short list appeared.

[Available Classes:

-          Chef (Common)

-          Baker (Common)

-          Butcher (Uncommon)

-          Dive Master (Uncommon)

-          Dimensional Chef (Rare)]

“Dimensional Chef.”

[System advises that User…]

“I was made to cook, not to read.” Axel smashed down his finger in a direct demonstration of what not to do from Jeff’s earlier advice. “Dimensional Chef. Final choice.”

[Dimensional Chef chosen. Displaying changes.]

[Class: Dimensional Chef – A rare combination of Chef and Dimensional Traveler. Not even dimensional displacement will dampen your passion. 

-          All culinary related skill percentage boosts are doubled within a kitchen.

-          Knowledge Retention and Muscle Memory are enhanced by 10% for a dish previously made.

-          Your body adapts to any realm like a natural inhabitant.

-          Once a day, the user may boost Immune System, Digestive System, Cardiovascular System, and Pain by 250% through Rapid Autophagy for 120 seconds.]

Immediately following the notification were over half a dozen pop ups making chime sounds ring in his ears like church bells.

[Elemental Affinity Scanned – Water]

[Adjusting Skills]

[Active Skill: Water Generation lvl 1 – Gained

- Create water out of mana. You are 25% more resistant to damage from water and cold.]

[Active Skill: Water Manipulation lvl 1 – Gained

- Your control over existing water increases by 25%.]

[Active Skill: Item Box lvl 1 – Gained

- A dimensional pocket that supports up to 100 pounds of weight.]

[Active Skill: Return To Base lvl 1 – Gained

- Once a month, you may force teleport from any location within a connected world back to the central pedestal.]

[Passive Skill: Cooking lvl 1 - Gained

- Be a master of culinary skills and techniques, either innately or through training. +25% (50% in a kitchen) increase in Motor Control, Hand-Eye coordination, and Reflexes when cooking.]

[Passive Skill: Kitchen Knife Proficiency lvl 1 – Gained

- A kitchen knife is to a chef what a paintbrush is to a painter. +25% (50% in a kitchen) increase in strength and dexterity when handling a kitchen knife.]

[Passive Skill: Frying Pan Proficiency lvl 1 – Gained

- Be a master of the way of the frying pan. Between Heaven and Earth, none may escape your pan. +25% (50% in a kitchen) increase in Strength and Endurance when handling a Frying Pan.]

[Passive Skill: Aquatic Butchering lvl 1 – Gained

- You gain intuitive knowledge on how to butcher aquatic lifeforms for edible parts. +25% (50% in a kitchen) increase in strength and dexterity when dealing with an aquatic lifeform.]

Axel winced at the sounds, unable to fully concentrate. “Do you mind turning down the sound of those chimes?”

[Notification sound set to low.]

“Thank you.” He sighed in relief and rubbed his forehead at the strange sensation.

[Active Skills: 4/5  

-          Water Generation lvl 1

-          Water Manipulation lvl 1

-          Item Box lvl 1

-          Return To Base lvl 1

-          (Please select an active skill)

Passive Skills: 4/5

-          Cooking lvl 1

-          Kitchen Knife Proficiency lvl 1

-          Frying Pan Proficiency lvl 1

-          Aquatic Butchering lvl 1

-          (Please select a passive skill)]

“Why were so many skills chosen for me?”

[Class selection impacts the available skills as well as skill slots.]

“Fair enough.” He opened his hand and thought about his first skill, immediately feeling a pulse from his heart with coolness spreading through his veins to reach his extended arm, and then pressing up against his flesh as clear water began seeping from his skin.

The water quickly gathered into a swirling ball floating above his hand, bringing a sense of childlike excitement to Axel’s face. “It comes from within me?”

The sensation was smooth, cool, refreshing even as it answered his call.

His hand closed into a fist, the water falling away to pool on the ground, and then he summoned another. ‘Water ball. Water ball. Water ball. Heh, I would dominate a water balloon war like this.’

[…] A soft ding interrupted once there was a decent puddle forming.

Axel came back to himself a moment later and coughed awkwardly. “Right, skills.”

[Available Skills:

Active:

- Spice Creation - Skillet Press- Hot Potato Bomb-…..

Passive:

- Wok Proficiency - Fork Proficiency - Hamburger Helper-….. ]

Dozens of skills appeared for both sections, some with wild names, others with wild descriptions.

[Active Skill: Hot Potato Bomb lvl 1- The equivalent of a block of C4 with all the fun of a childhood memory.]

[Passive Skill: Wok Proficiency lvl 1- The noble art of the Wok. Uncle Roger speaks through you, become one with the Wok and it shall never betray you. +25% increase to strength, endurance, and sass when handling a Wok.]

The selections were a variety of abilities that would fundamentally change how Axel approached things. “Can I switch skills after choosing?”

[Skills cannot be changed under normal circumstances.]

“What is considered not normal?”

[During Class evolutions, skills may be altered or changed depending on the path taken.]

“Classes evolve?”

[User is advised to focus on the present.]

“Hn.”

Axel scrolled through the list for what he felt was right. If he couldn’t easily switch skills, he would have to aim for something that he could see himself using in the long term.

[Active Skill: Serving Tray lvl 1- A branch of barrier magic. Create a mana construct of a serving tray to be controlled as you desire. Spend mana to alter the shape and design.] 

[Passive Skill: Explorer’s Map lvl 1- Gain a mini-map in the corner of your vision. Automatically updates surroundings and key locations as you travel. Range and detail are based on level.]

The first skill seemed useful for a variety of reasons. ‘I’m not sure how safe new worlds are, but I don’t exactly have much experience in a fight, so going defensive isn’t a bad choice. And no one said barriers have to be only used for defense.’

The second skill, however, was something he considered the most practical. ‘I can barely navigate my home city, never mind the idea of whole new worlds.’

As soon as Axel confirmed the second skill, a large blank map appeared in his vision before shrinking and moving to a corner of his line of sight.

Circular, with a green dot flashing in the center and compass points around the outer edge. The direct area around himself, only around twenty feet in a circle, appeared on the map as if looking from above in a pixelated design.

With a thought, it began to zoom out, showing a blank grayed out nothingness with a marker showing for [Basement Dome] on it. ‘Kind of feels like having a permanent maps app running that I have to fill out myself.’

He toggled it back to normal and looked at the system screen.

[Class and Skill selection complete. Please enjoy your shop experience.]

Axel considered the prompt. “I have to come back here to spend SP, right?”

[Correct]

“In that case, give me Language Acquisition and Currency Conversion.” Axel wasn’t one to hesitate over his options.

[Language Acquisition lvl 1

Price: 1 SP

Currency Conversion lvl 1

Price: 1SP

Total: 2SP

Confirm purchase?]

“Do it.”

[Confirmed.]

A soft ding rang in his head but there were no noticeable sound effects to accompany the upgrades.

Axel tilted his head, feeling a strange fuzzy feeling that quickly vanished. “Did it work?”

[You may read, understand, and respond to those who speak the most common language of the shops surrounding location.]

“Huh, I don’t feel any different.” Axel shrugged and stretched out. “Well, I’m a magical girl now. Or boy. A wizard? Whatever. I can do magic, so who cares.” He stepped away from the pedestal and watched it descend into the ground until there was nothing but a flat tile remaining. “Cool.”

Turning away from it, he moved over to the counters, running a hand over the smooth surfaces with a feeling of wonder. ‘All those years I had to work in kitchens I could barely turn around in, and now I have all this space. A kitchen all to myself. A kitchen that’s magically sanitized and free of pests.’

How long Axel stood there lost in thought, he couldn’t say. Many of the things he just experienced were fantastical in ways he had little reference to relate to. But this, this was something that hit close to home. ‘All mine.’

His lips curved into a smile fit for a demon. “All mine.” A manic laugh bubbled up and he let it run, water pooling around his feet for dramatic effect. “Ah, I needed that. Fuck you Earth, I’m fucking done with your shit.”

He could access any world now. ‘I only hope other worlds don’t have a society as absolutely insufferable as Earth.’

“Well, let’s check out the rest of this place.”

The rest of the dome had six side rooms through the shutters, each almost entirely bare aside from empty crates, barrels, and an odd panel on the wall by the door.

Through some trial and error, Axel discovered he could alter the dimensions of the rooms. Not only in size, but in environment. From metal walls, to wood, stone, soil, water, and more.

He could make them into ice cold freezers, smoke rooms, butchering rooms, and even a garden. The only consistent factor was the lack of equipment or furniture.

‘A level seven shop enhancement is no joke.’ Axel flicked on his personal system screen. “Is it normal to just inherit something like this?”

[The Inheritance Package allows for the previous User to pass along a single Shop Upgrade they possessed during their time.]

“And there’s no limit?” He flipped through the custom settings, watching the room change materials.

[Inherited upgrades are reduced to a maximum of level 7.]

“What did my Uncle have it at?”

[Previous User attained level 11.]

Axel’s hand twitched off the panel. “Damn, what did it do?”

[User must unlock it to find out.]

He shrugged and walked out of the side room. “Now that I think about it, Uncle’s message didn’t actually share any important details. Was he not allowed to speak of them?”

[Correct. Each User must discover things for themselves to allow for their path to grow unobstructed.]

“Fair enough.” Axel moved back over to the stairs near the entrance and sat down. “Now what?”

When he woke up this morning, his entire plan consisted of grocery shopping and pulling out his laptop to get some work done on a menu and advertisements.

Now he had magic and new worlds to explore. ‘And it’s not even noon yet.’ He checked his watch and saw he had only been down in the basement for a couple hours. ‘Wild.’

“Do I want to play with magic, explore a new world, work on my menu, or go grocery shopping?” Axel felt the question was redundant, but he still had to ask.

“Groceries it is.”

And with that he turned and walked out, ready to take on a new world. One ingredient at a time.

Chapter End.