The sales stand severed its connection with the ground.
A sharp shadow fell across the asphalt.
People rushing to work in the early morning froze in place.
Their eyes snapped toward my small wooden booth faster than ever before.
Behind the mask, I stared straight ahead, keeping my expression steady.
As people tried to make sense of what was happening, a small child approached the stand.
But the sale had not begun yet.
The barrier surrounding me stopped him at a fixed distance.
I remained there intentionally.
The goal was to be seen by as many people as possible.
Soon, voices began to rise, drowning out the sound of car horns.
Some asked questions out of curiosity.
Others stayed back, shouting at the top of their lungs.
"Don't get closer!"
With every passing minute, the crowd grew larger.
Phones were pulled out.
Cameras started recording.
Live streams went online.
People forgot about their jobs and responsibilities.
They focused entirely on what was about to happen.
Before the sky had fully brightened, those who heard the news began flooding the square.
A group stared at the posters, trying to understand what the badges were.
At the same time, they checked their pockets, calculating whether they could afford the listed price.
The first journalists arrived, firing questions at me from a distance.
They asked my name.
What the badges meant.
Why I was standing there.
And most importantly, how the stand was floating.
The footage spread rapidly across television channels.
Dramas and movies were abruptly interrupted.
Every screen showed the same scene.
Those who saw it watched in silence.
Those who heard about it searched desperately for a way to reach the square.
People trying to make sense of the situation realized that the price and time written on the posters pointed to something far beyond an ordinary sale.
The price itself was reasonable.
But a man floating in the air, a suspended stand, and the surrounding barriers made one thing clear—
this was not normal.
As the time written on the papers approached 12:00, the atmosphere shifted.
Slowly, all eyes turned toward me.
Meanwhile, the police set up barriers around the area, taking what they considered necessary precautions.
Five minutes before the sale, I broke the silence.
My voice echoed through the megaphones.
"I present the Reta System, Version 0.0.
Use the power you gain with caution."
From their expressions, it was clear they understood.
Eyebrows rose.
They realized something was about to change.
After five hours of waiting, the hour and minute hands met at 12:00.
In front of people from all over the world, the stand officially opened for sales.
…
People tried to cross the police barriers, eager to see what would happen.
But the invisible barrier surrounding me was still active.
They struck it with their hands, demanding that I open it.
Then, in front of billions watching worldwide, one person stepped forward—
as if the barrier did not exist.
Gasps spread through the crowd.
The hooded figure stopped in front of me and held out the payment.
I handed them a badge in return.
Without a single word, they disappeared into the crowd.
It didn't take long for people to understand.
Hesitation made it impossible to cross the barrier.
Those with confidence stepped forward without a second thought.
The thousand badges began to run out.
At one point, I even saw a few police officers step inside and make purchases.
Among the crowd, I recognized familiar faces.
Several well-known figures quietly approached and completed their transactions.
After six hours, only five badges remained.
During that time, over two hundred people had entered the system.
Some had already obtained their first Retans.
As I handed out the final badges, I hesitated.
Standing before me was Eren.
I knew he could do it—
but I hadn't expected him to be this fast.
Once the badges were gone, the barriers returned to their original state.
After my final words, I slowly rose higher into the air.
"Wait until the next sale."
People stared at me, as if asking whether there was truly nothing more.
I slipped through their gazes and vanished from sight.
While the entire world talked about me,
I just wanted to go home and rest.
I took the stand and the mask to a remote area.
I burned them until nothing remained.
Then I returned home, to my mother.
The moment I knocked, she opened the door and excitedly talked about what she had seen on television.
The light in her eyes was unmistakable.
Once again, I realized we shared the same blood.
…
The next day, I left home for school.
Everyone was talking about what had happened the day before.
They speculated endlessly about the mysterious seller.
Some even thought I was a robot because I hadn't moved at all.
Others believed the floating stand was advanced technology.
School felt no different.
But Eren had already created an account using his badge and was carefully reviewing the instructions.
A crowd gathered around him as he examined the system interface on his phone.
The visible panels were limited, but they contained many hints.
By following the guidelines, users could request new Retans.
His profile displayed several values—
indicators of experience and proficiency within the system.
And due to his past intelligence level,
Eren had been automatically assigned the "Analysis" Retan.
With it, he could perceive weaknesses and advantages at a certain level.
Most likely, he hadn't fully grasped how to use it yet.
That was why he didn't take the information on the screen too seriously.
As soon as class began, the teacher entered with a serious expression.
He gave a short speech about the events of the previous day.
He told us not to lose focus on our studies by believing such things.
But as the lesson continued, I noticed Eren staring at the board in confusion.
He pointed at the air and asked Leon beside him,
"Can you see those texts too?"
Leon looked puzzled.
"No."
There was only one possibility.
The system.
Eren could analyze the teacher's explanation and the writing on the board far more efficiently.
By the end of the lesson, he seemed to realize it.
After learning how to use it, he tried testing it on people.
But due to insufficient experience, the system did not allow it.
Still, his curiosity and desire were undeniable.
I knew he would adapt quickly.
…
Before long, people who had gained Retans began appearing in the news and on social media.
Some showed off by creating temporary objects.
Others shattered walls with a single hand.
Three police officers with the Movement Restriction Retan had already adapted.
A new regulation allowed them to use their abilities during duty.
…
One month after the sale, I conducted detailed inspections.
Out of the thousand badges, over a hundred had self-destructed—
triggered by people trying to force them open.
Those waiting eagerly for new badges returned to their daily lives.
By then, I no longer needed anyone else.
Using Retacode, I could replicate the badges myself.
My goal was clear:
one million units,
and stands placed across every corner of the world.
In class, I was scribbling notes about all this on a piece of paper.
Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed from outside.
We all flinched.
More explosions followed—
ending with a girl's scream.