Absolute Shopping Addict

[Do you want to receive push notifications for new offers and events?]

"Now this is interesting," Jake thought, nodding in approval. "Push notifications? It"s like a mobile phone app. They even give you notifications."

"Do I want to receive notifications? OF COURSE! Getting news about events and new products is essential for someone who lives to buy stuff, like me!"

Without a moment"s hesitation, he clicked his a.s.sent to receive push notifications, speed-read through the Awakening Store"s Terms of Service, filled in the requisite information, and finished up his membership in the Awakening Store.

That was when he received a very pleasant surprise.

[Welcome to the Awakening Store, Jake Smithson! For being our very first member, please receive this bonus of 1000 points as a gesture of our thanks.]

"What a nice present. Let"s go look around the Shop for a way to spend it!"

As soon as he received his gift and finished up his membership, Jake jumped right into his shopping cart and made to pay for the package he bought, and saw that there was only one payment method.

[You currently have 3100 points in stock.]

[Would you like to pay 1900 points for this item?]

"Yes… YES!"

The moment he paid 1900 points, something appeared in the corner of his eye.

[Package purchased successfully. Please check your inventory.]

A smile graced his face when he saw the item sitting in his formerly blank inventory.

***

While the group of Awakeners summoned in Brino were no different from the average person you"d meet on the street, it was evident that shortly after their first battle that they were under some sort of mental effect.

The Awakeners seemed to acclimate themselves to this setting sooner than they would have – the shock of being transplanted to a new world wore off quicker than they first expected.

Right after the battle, the Awakeners were weaning off their adrenaline high by looking into whatever information they gained – first and foremost among them was the fact that when they slew a certain number of enemies, they clearly felt an increase of strength.

Even those with cursory experience with role-playing games and were relegated to defending themselves against a five-hundred strong goblin scouting party had their share of strength increases as well.

All in all, nearly all of the Awakeners in Brino experienced what the role-playing game savvy called a level up. They could finally realize the true meaning behind their t.i.tle "Awakener".

Many Awakeners come to realize the nature of their new circ.u.mstances, and the feeling of power upon gaining a level cast aside the despair wrought by their situation.

It was their way to cope with this gigantic and sudden change in their lives: if they realized that neither escape nor struggle was pointless, they decided to either fight their way out for survival or fight their way into power.

One of the warriors stood alone and took glances at the female Awakeners with covetous eyes.

"I now clearly see. Power is everything here. If I become the strongest among them, I can rule over this place, also those pretty ladies," the pervert guy thought as he was smacking his lips.

Another warrior was smiling as he gazed at his reflection off his blade, as if he was looking forward to the next battle.

Other Awakeners also started to adjust their mindset – placed in a different world with a different society and different rules, they quickly learned the way of this world.

The chains that restrained their inner desire were long gone, and the Awakeners began to look after stronger power to achieve their primitive desire.

Protecting the city from a monster horde was pretty close to the mark on that, and the result of that was fairly predictable, too.

They wanted power.

Combat.

Ambition.

Now that they were in another world, they – either consciously or unconsciously – decided to make the best of their situation here.

It was at this point where three people emerged from the town"s main hall and made their way towards the Awakeners.

***

"My name is Sir Johann, and I have come to a.s.sist those who wield arms in the defense of this town," the one in resplendent silver armor announced, taking a step forward as the whole group of Awakeners eyed the new trio warily.

"I am the sorcerer Raudonas the Red, and those who would use the arcane arts would do well with my counsel," the one in a purple robe and carrying an elaborate staff then said in a voice disguised by what looked like a facial covering or mask.

"If you"re looking for the one to help you get better at helping out others in many different ways," the one with a satchel and hammer said, "fall in line. Call me Jack."

Three people with unusual outfits appeared in Brino just as the first attack was repelled – the gathered Awakeners could hear the strangers using a very old dialect, but they understood the words and sentences clearly.

Someone had to spare a thought towards how strange this phenomenon was, but given the trio"s rather… flamboyant entrance, the Awakeners had gained a quick immunity to surprises like this, and just waited for them to speak further.

"We have come to help develop skills and show how to spend stats for each cla.s.s," Sir Johann continued, "has everyone here done so already?"

As a few hands were raised and the three new arrivals went towards them, Awakeners began grouping themselves around these people as they heard what each of them were saying.

It took all of ten minutes for Brino to figure out why they were there: to guide new Awakeners into playing the game as best as possible.

The contingent of active video gamers among the Awakeners thus explained to those who had yet to understand how distributing stats were the key to maximize one"s competence in his or her cla.s.s, and should be done carefully, lest one fail to live up to their cla.s.s" potential due to carelessness.

"Sir Johann, my name is Lady Aera, and I am a Knight. Which stats should I raise?" the former psychologist asked as she stepped forward, first unto the breach.

Once her questions were answered, everyone else followed suit.

"Good morning, Raudonas –"

"It"s Miss Raudonas," the purple-robed magic user said, pulling down the hood to reveal the face of a young woman with flowing red hair.

"Miss Raudonas, I am a wizard, and my status screen says I"m a "fire cla.s.s" wizard. What do I do? from here?"

It took minutes before people gathered around these and asked questions about their cla.s.ses, and everyone who had their questions answered regrouped and began talking to their respective group leaders.

A lot of similar dialogue happened throughout the hour, as the Awakeners did not know very much about Nohas, and the three more experienced Awakeners appearing and sharing their knowledge seemed like an oasis in a barren desert.

Nearly everyone was drawn to the three characters a.s.sisting them… except one, who had already found his oasis early on, just before he started figuring out how to pound goblin heads with nearby rocks.

"Even the packaging is an art form," Jake said, clutching the box in his hand and giving it a very appraising stare before he would open it.

Some things never change.

When Jake bought his first thing online, this was the exact same thing he did.

"So, what if there were characters helping them out? Let them get help. I have all the help I need at the touch of my fingertips – and I can have any kind of help I want, for the right price… but enough about that."

Jake cut his soon-to-be rant short and made his move, scratching a corner off the tape on the package, and very carefully easing the tape off.

"Now this is what the feeling of a job well done is like," he said as soon as the last line of tape on the package box was eased off, as if it hadn"t been there. The package was opened with a deft touch of one who had opened many packages like it before.

Right now, he was near the outskirts of Brino, close to the city wall, holding onto the package he was about to open like a newborn baby, feeling a bit secretive, self-conscious, and paranoid about his purchase.

He was just about to open it when he noticed that the presentation of the package he was holding resembled that of the online shopping center he frequented the most.

Jake"s moment of suspicion pa.s.sed quickly, as there was a package to open and stuff to use!

He could almost hear the angelic chorus when he parted the cardboard panels… and finally, he opened the package to see a tome within.

It looked rather imposing, what with its sheer size taking up most of the box (after the bubble wrap, of course), its deep purple leather cover and symbols embossed on the front in a shiny bronze.

By his estimate, this tome was about as thick as three college textbooks combined – but it didn"t weigh as much.

"This book would look really nice on my coffee table," Jake said aloud, turning the book around to see if it was fit for display.

Well of course, Jake, having what is known as a shopping addiction, does not purchase books because he wants to read them – he just buys them because they were discounted.

For anyone else who buys something because they need it, this might seem strange, but shopping addicts are like hunters. They do it because the very act of buying gives them a thrill. Even money is not a primary concern. The things they could buy with money, though – is a different matter altogether.

"Now, let"s open this baby up and see what"s inside," Jake said, and opened up the book… only for a screen to come up in front of his eyes as soon as he did.

[Would you like to read the Tome of Hidden Knowledge? When you read this book, your strength, agility, and intelligence will increase by three.]

"Of course," Jake said. "I bought it, so I"ll read it."

It came naturally to him to make a decision like that on impulse, and as soon as he decided to read the book, he didn"t just read words – he saw ideas, concepts, ways to move, to speak, to think, all flashing before his eyes with breakneck speed, like watching a film sped up ten, no, twenty times – while he was feeling the very essence of the book pa.s.sing into him.

The increase in stats from the book caused a tangible change in him – he FELT himself becoming stronger.

Alas, unlike most Awakeners, who tend to optimize their stat points to play to their strengths, reading the book made all of Jake"s stats rise up evenly.

Jake didn"t realize it at first, but that was when he started towards becoming a "badly-built character", or so whatever those video game players who micromanage everything and take everything too seriously tend to say.

.

***

He was taking deep breaths and just finished enjoying his new upgraded stats when he decided to look at his status

"Status window," he intoned, and saw that yes, the book really did make him stronger instantly.

[Name: Jake Smithson

Level: 1

Cla.s.s: Shopping Addict
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Basic Stats:

Strength: 13

Agility: 13

Intelligence: 13

Skills: Shopping (Awakening Store currently in beta service)]

As soon as he closed the status window, Jake started to think as he made his return from the outskirts of town to the town square proper.

Based on what he heard during the aftermath of the battle, Awakeners gain three stat points when they level up.

"That means, when I read the Tome of Hidden Knowledge, I gained three levels? That"s awesome."

He saw a group of Awakeners talking, and a lot of them were talking excitedly about the three Awakeners appearing.

"Good job with the goblins, Liam," one of the mages in the group said. "All of us had gained one or two levels due to the goblin battle. How about you?"

"Three," the cloaked young man with the sword said. "All those goblins proved to be simple enough to defeat."

"Great," the group"s medic said, "I guess you are the only one who gained three levels".

Among hundreds of Awakeners of Brino, Liam was the only one gain three level during the incident, and Jake was able to achieve the same thing with a single strange book.

Even though such change was something worth noticing, no one including Jake himself noticed it.

Frankly, Jake didn"t care.

There was only the present concern in the corner of his eye, the sole thing that he deemed important.

***

It was a simple enough banner, but on it were three words that immediately captured Jake"s attention.

[Limited Time Sale: For the next 48 hours, our "Tome of Defense", a book teaching the basics of defending oneself and avoiding injury is on sale! From its list price of 4500 points, it is now available for only 3000 points, a ma.s.sive 33% off! Don"t wait or hesitate, as this offer is only available for the next 48 hours! Act now!]

"Wonderful," Jake thought, the combined pleasures of getting to a rare or limited item and receiving an item at an exorbitant discount immediately rousing his instincts as a Shopping Addict and shopping addict.

Back home, as soon as Jake had the capacity to purchase items on a limited-time sale, he never missed any of those sales.

Just ask the old apartment he had, which was by now packed with plastic cases holding all the limited-time sale purchases he made over the years.

And now, even in this world, that offer is presented before him.

How could he refuse it?

"All right," he said, "still have 1100 left over from the goblins and the bonus I got signing up for the shop. Now how do I get more points within 48 hours?"

His mind started to wander to places he did not want to go.

Jake"s face began to get flushed, and a haze seemed to settle over him.

Elsewhere, he began to pale, his heart beating faster and his body beginning to break out in a cold sweat, the starting signs of an oncoming panic attack.

"What do I do? What can I do? What if the next battle doesn"t begin within the next 48 hours?"

Meanwhile, Jake was too busy having a panic attack to look to the corner of the Awakening Store, but once he had gotten reasonably out of that heightened emotional state, he looked over there to see something that looked like a lifeline to someone who was adrift in a sea of insolvency.

The Awakening Store apparently had 1:1 Customer Service available.

The highs and lows of the day finally took their toll on him, and he had to slump down onto a bench in the town square before giving the Customer Service feature a try.

He opened an inquiry expectantly, awaiting an answer which he did not know if it would or would not come.

But he had faith, since the online shop he regularly went to carried itself like a virtual shopping mall, a sanctuary for the worst shopaholics around.

He left his question there: "I need more points to make a purchase of the limited time sale. Could you point me to a good place to hunt monsters?" And as soon as he sent his question, he felt his eyes grow heavy. Now sounded like a good idea to take a short nap…

…and the telltale sound of a notification only he could hear brought him out of it.

After taking a while to rub the sleep out of his eyes, he checked the time and saw that around ten minutes pa.s.sed between his inquiry and being rudely awakened from his nap.

But there WAS a reply, so Jake took the time to read it.

[Customer Service has sent an answer to your inquiry. Open this message to receive it.]

"Ten minutes…" he thought. "That has to be some kind of record! These guys are good – no, they"re the best! Even the mall I last went to doesn"t answer inquiries this quickly."

While in awe of how quick the Awakening Store Customer Service addressed his request together with the last bits of sleep leaving him, Jake rushed to check the answer.

[Thanks for contacting us! To answer your question, an orc hideout is located 20 minutes due west from the main gate of Brino. Hunting orcs in that location can get you the points you need! But be warned, if you have only battled goblins before, orcs will prove to be a challenge for you! We recommend Awakeners to be at level 4 as a minimum requirement to survive this encounter, and level 6 to have the best hunting experience. Should you need a weapon for hunting orcs, we also recommend going to our Armory section, because one of our entry-level equipment, the "Hardened Bat", is currently on sale. Good luck and good hunting!]

Jake found a way to acquire the points he needed.

Those orcs would never know what hit them.