Earth's Water, That World's Treasure - 1

The world had become one for hunters. When monsters first appeared, people talked about the end of the world. But it was actually an opportunity. Stagnant technologies advanced at an astonishing pace through monster byproducts. Humans no longer needed to dig for oil or run nuclear power plants to get enough energy. The 'Doomsday Clock' racing toward the end had stopped. People enjoyed abundance, and most countries were developing at a startling rate. Stocks of companies even slightly related to 'monsters' soared endlessly, and it wasn't just a bubble. They delivered innovations that met or even exceeded those expectations.

But not everyone got rich. Ordinary people still existed. There were those starving to death and those just scraping by at their jobs day to day. Earth's resources becoming infinite didn't mean they were distributed to everyone.

"Haa..."

Off work. After barely making it home via subway and bus, I collapsed onto the bed. Today, like always, I hadn't awakened.

'Whew...'

Awakened people, regardless of whether their abilities were useful or not, had basically hit the jackpot in life. No matter what power they got, they were Awakeners. They had physical abilities incomparable to ordinary humans and mana affinity. Even just mining in dungeons, they'd earn more than a big-corp salaryman.

But that luck wasn't granted to me. Today, I went to work, did my job, and collapsed into bed again.

The moment that thought crossed my mind—

"Huh?"

Something floated in front of my eyes.

"Hm."

For a moment, I couldn't help but wonder if this was a hallucination or a real ability awakening.

"Did it... actually happen?"

"Huh?"

If it was a hallucination, the message should've appeared once and vanished. But the status window stayed in front of my eyes. It didn't disappear even if I closed and opened them or looked away and back.

"Real awakening, huh?"

I quickly got up and took a shower. I was too tired right now. I wanted to check this ability with a clearer head.

'Even just doing odd jobs, I could make money with this—'

Multidimensional Merchant. At first glance, it didn't seem suited for combat. Sometimes there were Awakeners called 'Alchemists' who hunted monsters by throwing flasks, but exceptions like that were hard to expect.

For now, I needed to analyze my ability clearly.

"Hoo..."

After showering, I fiddled with the status window to examine my ability in detail.

"Contact other dimensions, send or receive items there via Subspace Inventory... Subspace Inventory?"

The moment I thought 'open it,' the inventory appeared beside me. It wasn't huge—just about the size of a decently large cardboard box that could fit an air purifier.

But having an inventory alone skyrocketed this ability's value exponentially. Even if I gave up all other abilities for just this, I could safely transport dangerous herbs or ores too hard to handle barehanded.

"Anyway..."

I checked my ability again.

"Put items in the Subspace Inventory to send to other dimensions, receive items sent from other dimensions, limited communication possible..."

The ability itself wasn't complicated, but the conditions were tricky.

"Still... the restrictions are tight."

I couldn't trade with just anyone in that world—only through a 'Trading Post' I installed there. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I couldn't add 'tradeable worlds' indiscriminately either. I needed a certain level of 'trade performance' to contact new worlds.

"Gotta pick the first world carefully."

I fell into thought. It was hard to be sure right away how much profit this ability could bring.

'It's profitable.' I couldn't deny that fact itself. But if I thought about 'how far I'd bet on this,' I'd have to tilt my head.

"Hoo..."

Earth's most precious resource? Obviously, 'materials harvested from monsters.' Mysterious, absolute materials beyond human science. Something like that would sell anywhere. It had to.

'SF ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠worlds... purely scientifically advanced ones would definitely bite.'

But those were precious materials. Expensive even for me to acquire. No telling if it'd sell, when, or if the other side could pay.

And to do that, take on massive debt to buy precious materials? 'Ridiculous.'

Materials that sell easily. If possible, connect to a world where I could sell what I could get now.

'And... no need to get full on the first bite.'

I kept checking the status window. To unlock the next world after one, I needed 'trade performance.' Succeeding in trade with the first world wouldn't be easy. But I had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to succeed there to build performance and advance.

"Don't expect money."

Ironic, but right. Treat the first world as an investment. Abandon thoughts of taking expensive valuables and getting insanely precious stuff in return.

"Something I can easily get that they desperately need..."

Didn't have to be something they specifically needed. Anything—as long as they sent something back.

"Let's see..."

Checking the status window more confirmed my thinking. 'Trade performance' valued quantity and frequency over item value. Maybe weighted toward mana-infused items, but similar weight, volume, frequency didn't care about price.

'Makes sense.'

Even on Earth, prices vary by location. Fresh seafood for deep-sea fishermen vs. restaurants aren't the same price. But fishermen's might be better quality—dirt cheap though.

The status window couldn't gauge 'Earth material value' anyway.

"Think..."

Needed something casually available on Earth, without suspicion or excess spending. And in their world, something without it meant agonizing death.

'Food?' Simple. But deeper, not so easy. Rice came to mind. But cooking needs water and heat. Depending on situation, might not value it highly.

"Hm."

I dug through the status window, checking 'Trading Post' placement.

"Somewhere with intelligent beings likely wandering..."

No need for mid-ocean where I'd yell 'anyone here?' But unlikely limited to 'rice culture' spots.

"Not easy."

Random in-world placement hurt my head. Game worlds are vast. Could land where no playable character goes.

"World should be... somewhat uniform."

Want mountains? Pick all-mountain world. Forests? All-forest world.

"Tricky..."

Of course, food instantly acceptable anywhere people eat: ready snacks, bread, jerky. But high cost. Didn't know trade resource consumption yet—couldn't base on that.

"...Water."

The monosyllable flashed through my mind.

"It's water."

For humanoid life, a resource they'd kill for.

"Water needed. Desert..."

Abandon greed. Fantasy or SF trade ideal, but risky. Their stuff precious to me, mine likely not to them.

Lower eyes. Needed sustained trade, not what I get.

"Post-apocalypse."

War turns world to desert and dust, people risk lives for a drop. One sprang to mind.

"This'll do. [Wasteland 2]."

Few with superpowers, occasional overtech. But most fight mutants, famine, drought, raiders in wasteland for water.

"Good..."

Didn't matter what they send. Key: they'd have to buy my stuff.

"Decided."

I smiled faintly. Felt mana draining. Confirmed I was truly an Awakener.

Blink. I sensed events in a world unrelated to here—far dimension.

The Trading Post was built.

Western wasteland. The Rangers were injured, exhausted. Death closed in moment by moment. But what truly endangered them wasn't falling bullets or raider threats.

'Water... ran out.'

In the desert, water was life. No water, instant death. Three days was survival limit for those with daily hydration. Rangers already on minimum. Miss even a day, dead. Collapse in desert.

'The end?'

Their leader, Lisa Martinez, sensed death. No way to get ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠water. No escape. Maybe more humane to take a bullet to the head now. At least no burning thirst agony.

'...Hm?'

A voice from somewhere made her snap her head up.

"D-did you hear that?"

Her subordinates heard too, voicing confusion.

"I heard it. What the... no one should be here!"

Turning, she faced a situation as unreal as the voice. Where empty wasteland should be, a concrete building stood casually.

The Trading Post was before her.