Secret base, Gone!

Inside the out-of-place store, Alucard Stella sighed as he examined the cards he had just pulled from another booster pack. "Ugh! Another Left Leg of the Forbidden One! And it's the Secret Illustration full art again! This is the third time already, and System, why does it even have stockings? Haaaaah… At this point, I can only summon the Stanky Leg of the Forbidden One!"

"Host, maybe consider slowing down. After all, you don't even have someone to duel with… Also, those Special Illustration cards are carefully chosen from various artists we've collaborated with. This particular Exodia Special Illustration set has new special effects when summoned."

"So you're saying a special animation for Exodia plays if I get all the Special Illustration Exodias? By the way, who's the artist? The style looks familiar."

"Yes, it's quite a spectacle… The artist is Jorm-san."

You're pretty cultured, System… Alucard blinked in surprise, "Can't you duel with me, System? Go buy and open some packs. It's the DM era anyway, so the cards are pretty fair."

"I can't afford to, and even if I could, I fear I may go down your path with just a single step." The System replied in a cold tone.

"What kind of system can't afford the crap they're selling? Don't tell me you're one of those low-tier, money-grubbing systems that won't even let go of a single copper coin."

"Host, please don't compare me to those shameless and controversial systems. I am a proper professional, top of my class, well-respected, and a Most Valuable System candidate last year. Also, there has been a crackdown on systems that bypass rules just to earn money; the authorities have been strict these last couple of years. Anyway, please buy some packs to sell if you're going to keep those booster boxes to yourself. Make sure to display the posters so that passersby can see what we're selling and possibly attract customers. Arrange the promo chase cards on the glass counter display as well."

"Fine, I'll go through these later then." Alucard stashed away the three booster boxes he purchased for himself, then bought three cases for each booster pack. He could afford to lavish spending as of now due to the money Alastor left him, which was quite a lot. He then got to work arranging the promo cards inside the glass counter cabinets, hanging posters of Yugi, Kaiba, Joey, and Pegasus along with their signature cards. Furthermore, he also placed a card list with a price for each booster box on the tables, as well as a game guide. The counter had a booklet showing all the cards, including the full arts and special illustration ones.

"System, I've noticed that the number of cards for each set is higher than usual. Is there any reason for this?"

"The card prints have been consolidated across all sets, including the short prints as well. We made sure that each set has good coverage so that we don't need to choose from which region to print. Naturally, the language used for every print this time is the common tongue of this world."

"How about pricing? Am I able to set the pricing for each product? Also, why aren't we selling deck cases, playmats, card sleeves? Are we going to get duel disks to sell as well?" Alucard asked in a hopeful tone; any YGO fan would dream of having a functional duel disk, regardless of what era they started.

"While the system won't control your pricing, I strongly suggest you stay within the range of the purchase price given to you. As you've mentioned, these cards are mostly a luxury for the citizens of this planet. It would be best if you could gather a reputation for the store and products first before deciding to mark them up to retail price. Regarding the card accessories, you will be able to sell deck cases and playmats once you level up the store to level 2. We won't be considering manufacturing card sleeves as of now since they will be purely cosmetic to the cards, as the cards are already made with synthetic ether which does not need protection from wear and tear."

"Well, as a citizen that was taken advantage of by late-stage capitalism in my previous life, I won't go overboard in this world since my dream is to have a card shop and not really take over the market for luxury goods. I'll sell each card pack for 12 gold coins or 1 magicoin and 2 gold coins per pack and give a discount for purchases of 10 or a purchase of a card box. I still have money anyway, but how do I level the store up?"

A markup of 240% at the start… I'll take it as if I never said anything, The System thought.

"Ding! Quest: 'You live in a ghetto and want to charge crack prices for cards?!' has been activated. Sell at least 2 booster packs to 10 unique customers in 5 days! (Personal purchases do not count)

Rewards: Store upgrades to lvl 2, now host will be able to sell Deck Cases (Red and Blue), Playmats (Dark Magician, Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Relinquish), 3% discount for business purchases (amount calculated each month)."

"If Host fails to finish this quest, Host will be banned from purchasing cards for personal use ever again."

"That's pretty harsh, System. I think I'll set my price to a copper coin instead."

"Host is not allowed to set pricing lower than the purchase price under normal circumstances. Also, I think this punishment is good for you. I won't fire you; you get to see the cards you love so much but just won't be able to spend your money recklessly. You never know, your addiction might get finally cured."

"Don't say it like it's a disease, System. It's a lifestyle… a lifestyle you never quit…" Alucard posed as if puffing a smoke, smoking loneliness.

"..." Stop acting pretentious when it's only about your unstoppable thirst for opening card packs... thought The System.

"So, am I able to sell cards that I pulled, by the way?"

"The Host is free to do whatever he likes with products purchased for personal use, but please keep in mind that we sell luxury items that people in this area might not be able to afford. We suggest that you sell surplus cards like low-level normal monsters, spell, and trap cards at a reasonable price so that, at the very least, some customers may be able to build a standard deck."

"No problem, I'll sell some 6 common normies for a magicoin to get this shop rolling. By the way, How am I supposed to test using the cards' power in real life? As you know, I'm only in Tier E, a failure of a scion of a prestigious superhouse family. Would I have enough energy to summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon even if I already used up a lot of energy to summon 2 monsters first as long as I tribute them?"

"The store will have a built-in testing room for the Host once it reaches a certain level; for now, the host and other users can only tread carefully when trying to use cards in real life but they will have a faint glow as an indication when they reach the conditions so that they can be used. The Host does not need to worry about summoning Blue-Eyes White Dragon since the host hasn't even pulled it or any other secret rare such as the signature monsters yet, focus on upgrading the store and the host will receive more accessible features and benefits." The System Harshly reminded Alucard.

Alucard snorted at the system. "Heh, don't underestimate me System, My elder brother gave me tons of magicoins and even purified magicrstals to purchase a whole warehouse, don't even mention the resources inside the spatial rings he gave me. Now let me just open one more pack, I-I can really feel this has a Blue Eyes in it."

I'm starting to think that while opening a card shop is the Host's dream, it might be mostly because of his addiction as well, The system contemplated.

While Alucard is busy opening packs and sorting some commons to showcase and sell, a group of kids were strolling about the abandoned outskirts.

~

"Hey, are we really building our secret base here? Didn't Mister guard say that this place is where gangs and wild dogs gather?" A chubby boy with a shaved head asked worriedly.

"Y-yeah! Nina, we should stay away from this place; it's giving me the creeps!" A timid and frail-looking girl with twin braids said softly.

"Nonsense! Don't you guys know that we're going to build our secret base here because we are going to be a real gang?" Answered Nina, a young girl full of energy with short blonde hair and bright blue eyes. "Failer! Are we there yet? You said that abandoned building is the perfect spot; if it isn't, then you owe us sugar drops from the candy store!"

"Don't worry, boss! That spot is neat! It's very hidden and has lots of space; we can basically build our very own fort!" Failer, a short auburn-haired kid with a buck-toothed smile, answered back to Nina. "Once we turn here, you'll see! There's a hidden space where you ca- WHAAT!!" Upon turning to the street, Failer was shocked. The dilapidated building he had seen a few days ago was gone, replaced by a beautiful store, its walls—the ones that had served as a good inconspicuous hiding spot for their secret base—now absent. "I-its gone! Our secret base!" he exclaimed.

"Huh?! You told us it was there! Don't tell me that you were hallucinating when the dogs chased you out here?" Nina looked at him with a bit of annoyance and suspicion.

"N-no way! I used the secret base to hide from them! You have to believe me! You believe me right, Jiji?" Failer said in a panic, and turned towards the chubby boy, Jiji.

"I-I do, but there seems to be a store in that area you're pointing at. What do you think, Annie? Annie? Huh, where's Annie?" Jiji turned to his side only to find their friend Annie, the timid-looking girl, gone. "H-hey! Annie's missing!" he shouted as his eyes darted frantically looking for Annie.

"Hey guys! Over here! This store has huuuuge glass walls! It says Milky's Card shop on the sign, what could that possibly mean?" The timidness of the girl now nowhere to be found, now looking with sparkling eyes as she saw the multitude of posters and shelves with unfamiliar characters.

The other kids were surprised that Annie had approached the unknown by herself, but they all still ran up beside her. When they reached the storefront, they were surprised by all the shiny and new things they saw for the first time. They stared at the impressive figures of Yugi, Joey, Kaiba, and Pegasus, each accompanied by their signature cards: Dark Magician, Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and Relinquish.

"WOOOW!" All of them exclaimed.

"Look at that person! Hehehe his hair looks like one of those starfishes at the beach! He looks so suave standing like that!" Failer couldn't contain his excitement at the sight of Yugi's dashing draw pose.

"All of them look really cool! W-well, except that mister with the golden eye, he looks s-scary." Nina pointed to Pegasus, who was standing tall while looking down on everyone.

"Hey, guys, look! There's an invisible wall! Hahahaha! I can press my face into it; it's so smooth!" Jiji amused himself with the glass panel walls.

All the ruckus prompted Alucard, who was busy arranging some products at the back shelves, to check on what's going on in front of his store. He stood up and saw a bunch of kids giggling and amusing themselves with the store's glass walls.

I didn't know that kids went in these outskirts… He thought.

He sighed and approached the door. The kids stopped their antics and stared at him. It was silent for a good minute until Alucard opened his mouth.

"Do you kids wanna buy some cards?"