My Life As A Mercenary In A Fantasy World

The shop smelled like wood and something faintly sweet, like flowers I couldn't name. Shelves stretched up to the ceiling, crammed with things I'd never seen before. Glowing objects hummed faintly, and jars of strange powders glistened as if they held tiny stars. It didn't feel real.

"Well?" The shopkeeper's voice rang out, pulling me from my thoughts. She leaned on the counter, her golden eyes watching me closely. "What do you think?"

I blinked, my gaze darting from her to the shelves. "I think..." I hesitated, then let out a short laugh. "I think I don't know where to start."

Her lips curved into a smile—one that made it hard to tell if she was amused or sizing me up. "Take your time, Mr. Denver. Everything here has a story, a purpose. The question is... what are you looking for?"

What was I looking for? The question echoed in my mind. I hadn't come here with a plan. I hadn't even planned to come here at all. My life wasn't perfect, sure, but it wasn't bad either. I had a good job, one that people said I was too young to have. I had money in my savings and the respect of my boss. But every day felt... the same. Empty, even.

I didn't say any of that, though. Instead, I turned back to the shelves, pretending to examine the items. Strange objects filled the room, each one more bizarre than the last. A blade that shimmered like water. A jar of fireflies that blinked in patterns I couldn't understand. Then my eyes landed on something different.

It sat on its own shelf, apart from everything else—a smooth black stone with glowing runes etched into its surface. The runes pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat.

"What's that?" I asked, pointing.

The shopkeeper followed my gaze and straightened. Her smile widened, but her eyes softened, like she was suddenly taking me more seriously. "Ah," she said. "The Portalstone of Vothar. An excellent choice."

I stepped closer, drawn to the stone's faint glow. The runes seemed to shift slightly, like they were alive. "What does it do?"

"It opens a door," she said, her voice quieter now. "A one-way door to another world."

I froze, staring at her. "Another world? You're serious?"

"Completely, here, read it for yourself" she said. There wasn't even a hint of a joke in her tone.

She handed me a paper with information regarding that item.

[- Portalstone of Vothar -]

-Rank: ★★★★★

-Creator: The Forgotten Archmages of Vothar

Description: A smooth, obsidian stone embedded with runic symbols that pulse with an otherworldly energy. When activated, the Portalstone opens a rift to another world. The stone's power is unpredictable; sometimes it leads to peaceful realms, other times to chaotic dimensions. Users may be transported physically, mentally, or spiritually. 

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"Why's it just sitting there? Shouldn't something like this be locked up or... I don't know, hidden?"

She tilted her head, her golden hair catching the light. "Because the Portalstone doesn't sell like other items. It doesn't cost coins. It costs commitment."

I frowned, crossing my arms. "What does that mean?"

"It means once you use it, it's gone," she said simply. "No going back. No refunds. The life you know? Over."

Her words sent a chill through me. "And what happens when you go through the portal?"

"You start over," she said. "But how you start depends on your choice."

I raised an eyebrow. "Choice?"

"There are three ways to travel using the Portalstone," she explained, walking around the counter. "You can go physically, taking your current body, mind, and skills with you. You can go as a soul, taking over the body of someone already in the world. Or you can reincarnate, starting fresh with no guarantees about who—or what—you'll become."

My mouth went dry as the weight of her words hit me. Each option sounded riskier than the last.

"What's the catch?" I asked. "There's always a catch."

Her smile turned slightly sad. "The catch is that none of the options are perfect. Each comes with its own risks and challenges. And no matter which you choose, you're leaving everything behind."

I turned back to the stone, staring at its faint glow. The runes pulsed steadily, almost hypnotically.

"Why would anyone do this?" I muttered, more to myself than to her.

"Because the life they're living isn't enough," she said softly.

Her words hit harder than I expected. I thought about my apartment, the silence that greeted me every night. My desk at work, with its neat stacks of papers and polished plaque. The people who praised me, respected me—but never really knew me.

I took a step closer to the stone. "What happens if I go physically?"

"You'll take yourself as you are," she said. "Your body, your mind, your memories. You'll have the skills and knowledge you've built so far. But you'll also carry your weaknesses, your limits. And you'll be a stranger in a strange land, vulnerable in ways you've never been before."

"And if I go as a soul?"

"You'll take over an existing body in the new world," she said. "Their strengths will become yours. But so will their flaws, and their memories may linger—sometimes peacefully, sometimes... not."

I swallowed hard. "And reincarnation?"

"You'll start fresh," she said. "A new life, completely random. You might be reborn as a farmer, a noble, a beast, or even a tree. And there's no guarantee you'll remember who you were."

My mind spun as I tried to process the choices. Each one felt like a gamble, a leap into the unknown. I paced the room, my shoes scuffing against the polished wood floor.

"Why me?" I asked suddenly, spinning to face her. "Why offer this to me? I'm just... some guy."

She tilted her head, her smile softening. "You're not 'just some guy,' Mr. Denver. You're someone who's already pushed beyond what most people would dare. You've built a life for yourself from scratch, but you're still searching for more, aren't you?"

My hands curled into fists. I wanted to deny it, to tell her she didn't know me, but the words caught in my throat. She wasn't wrong.

"How do I know this is real?" I asked, my voice quieter now.

"Does it matter?" she asked, her golden eyes locked onto mine. "If it feels real, if it gives you a chance to change everything... isn't that enough?"

I turned back to the Portalstone, my chest tight. The idea of leaving everything behind was terrifying. But so was staying the same—spending the next twenty, thirty, forty years doing the same thing, feeling the same emptiness.

"I'll take it," I said suddenly, the words spilling out before I could second-guess myself.

Her smile returned, bright and almost proud. "Good. How will you travel?"

"Physically," I said, my voice steady.

She nodded, picking up the stone and placing it gently into my hands. It was warm, its surface smooth except for the faint ridges of the runes. The pulsing light seemed to grow stronger, syncing with the rapid beat of my heart.

"By the way, as a bonus for being the first earthling chosen to step in this store we will give you [Tongue of the Traveler] and bunch of essential survival stuff and also magical scrolls inside of this ring for free! We don't want our first guest to die the moment they left haha, We hope you have an amazing adventure, after all, you wont be able to come here anymore unless you somehow managed to find our store in that world" Said the storekeeper, solemnly.

"Remember," she said softly, her golden eyes meeting mine. "This is a one-way journey. Once you activate the Portalstone, there's no turning back. Are you ready?"

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the stone in my hands. "Yeah. I'm ready."

She stepped back, her smile soft but genuine. "Then hold it tightly... and crush it."

I tightened my grip, the stone trembling slightly in my hands. The runes flared, their light filling the room, and then—

CRACK.

The stone shattered, and the world around me dissolved into a kaleidoscope of colors. The shop, the shelves, the shopkeeper—all of it was swept away in a rush of wind and light.

A black portal then opened in place where I stand, sucking my entire body. My vision blurred as I was pulled into the portal, the sensation akin to being submerged in rushing water. Colors swirled around me—deep blues, vibrant purples, and flickering golds—until i felt my feet touch solid ground.

"Haaaah...it felt like drowning, definitely something i don't want to experience again" I said as my entire body filled with sweats.

I opened my eyes to a forest Towering trees stretched skyward, their leaves shimmering with an ethereal glow, as though kissed by moonlight even in the daylight. Some leaves were translucent, casting intricate patterns of light on the forest floor below. The trunks were massive, their bark twisting in shapes that looked almost alive—faces, animals, or perhaps spirits frozen in time.

I pushed myself to my feet, my legs shaky. The air was crisp and cool, carrying the scent of earth and flowers I didn't recognize. A crystal-clear stream babbled nearby, its surface shimmering like liquid starlight.

This wasn't Earth.

"Alright," I muttered to myself, my voice trembling but steady. "Step one: survive."