The blueprint shimmered on the central table of the Infinite Store, its lines shifting like ink submerged in water. Silvery script danced across the parchment, not written with ink, but with memory itself. It radiated a quiet hum—soft, rhythmic, like a heartbeat.
Blueprint Acquired: Memory-Thread Forge— A crafting station capable of weaving memories, emotions, and experiences into powerful items.Requirements:— Arcane Steel (x3)— Heartglass Crystal (x1)— Soulweave Cloth (x5)— Construction Site: Anchored within the Infinite Store's Spirit Core
Li Kai frowned at the requirements. "We don't have half of this stuff."
"That's because it's not supposed to be easy," Xiaomei replied, arms folded as she leaned against a shelf of glowing potions. "The Forge isn't a tool—it's a ritual. You're building something alive."
"Alive?" Li Kai asked, eyeing the flickering blueprint again.
She tapped the scroll. "That thing breathes essence. It creates using memory, will, and intention. If you build it wrong, it could backlash and wipe out everything connected to the Store's spiritual matrix."
He blinked. "Wipe out...?"
Xiaomei gave him a cheerful thumbs-up. "Boom."
Great.
System Notification:Optional Quest: Build the Memory-Thread ForgeAssist Available: Store Spirit (Locked)Construction Boost Available: Dawn's Favor (Pending)Tip: Stronger connections = Stronger threads.
"Alright," Li Kai muttered. "Let's get to work."
Step One: Arcane Steel
Xiaomei directed him to a side room rarely used—a dust-covered vault behind the third bookshelf labeled "Forbidden Tomes (Do Not Touch)." After three locks, a hidden sigil, and an unfortunate encounter with a sarcastic mimic disguised as a rug, they reached the blacksmith's cache.
Old crates lined the room, marked with ancient Store sigils—trading contracts, enchanted nails, ghost-forged hinges. And in one corner, a sealed case marked "ARCANE ALLOY A-3" sat in silence.
Li Kai reached for it, and the System responded:
You have discovered: Arcane Steel (x3)Item Grade: Rare+Origin: Forged during the Battle of Eternal Dusk by the Flamewright's Order.
He whistled. "Well, that's one done."
"Don't celebrate," Xiaomei warned. "Heartglass won't be this easy."
Step Two: Heartglass Crystal
They needed to leave the Store for this one.
Heartglass was a rare mineral formed when raw emotion was crystallized under intense spiritual pressure. Most were harvested from ancient soul-tombs, battlefield remnants, or, occasionally, the heart of a slain guardian beast.
Li Kai stared at the coordinates.
"A memory tomb... in the Wailing Hollows."
"Yep," Xiaomei said. "Screaming spirits, fractured timelines, and ghost wolves. Great vacation spot."
He grabbed his coat. "Let's go."
The Wailing Hollows lived up to its name.
The air was thick with fog and mourning wails. The ground was spongy, full of hidden bones and cursed vines. Shadows moved where they shouldn't, and Li Kai had the distinct feeling that the trees were watching.
Deep within, a clearing glowed faintly with violet light. At its center lay a crystalline growth—pulsing, humming in sync with his breath.
Heartglass Crystal DetectedWarning: Emotional Resonance Required to Extract
"What's that mean?" he asked.
"You have to give it something real," Xiaomei said softly. "A memory. A moment that shaped you. And you don't get it back."
Li Kai hesitated.
Then, slowly, he knelt before the crystal.
He placed his hand on the surface and exhaled. "I remember... my grandfather's funeral. I was nine. I didn't cry. Everyone else did, but I just... stood there. I thought if I stayed strong, maybe I'd wake up and find him cooking breakfast again."
He closed his eyes.
"I still see him sometimes. Stirring that old pot. Smiling like the world hadn't ended."
The crystal pulsed—and a shard cracked free, glowing with soft blue light.
Heartglass Crystal (x1) acquiredNote: Emotional core linked. Item may carry trace resonance of memory offered.
Li Kai stood, a little hollow but resolute.
Step Three: Soulweave Cloth
This required a trade.
Back at the Store, they activated the multiverse market link. Threads of glowing light zipped past the shop, opening brief portals to various customers. Within minutes, a deal came through.
Customer: Arin Vel'Thoras — Dreamweaver of the 9th SilkOffering: Soulweave Cloth (x5)Trade Requested: One crafted item with a bound memory.
Li Kai frowned. "What can I offer them?"
"Use the Heartglass," Xiaomei said. "Craft something honest. Let it carry your truth."
Li Kai walked to the crafting table and focused. He took a mundane ring—simple iron—and placed the Heartglass shard into its center. Then he willed the memory into it: the silence of grief, the strength in stillness, the quiet hope of tomorrow.
When he was done, the ring shimmered.
Crafted: Ring of RemembranceEffect: Enhances clarity and calm under stress. Carries a single preserved memory.Grade: Uncommon+ | Sentimental Signature: Strong
The trade finalized instantly.
You have received: Soulweave Cloth (x5)
Final Step: Construction
With materials in hand, Li Kai opened the construction menu. The Store's Spirit Core—an invisible room tied to the building's soul—materialized beneath the counter. It glowed with pure essence.
He knelt, placing the materials into the glowing forge circle. One by one, they sank into the design, fusing memory, steel, spirit, and thread.
Constructing Memory-Thread Forge...Completion: 5%... 34%... 88%... 100%
Light exploded outward.
When it faded, a circular loom-like device stood in the room. Its frame shimmered with silver veins, and its threads danced even without wind. In its center hovered a core—a glowing knot of emotion, memory, and magic.
Memory-Thread Forge: ACTIVECapabilities Unlocked:— Craft Memory-Bound Items— Infuse Equipment with Emotion Traits— Weave Custom Threads for Store EnhancementsStore Rank Increased: F → F+
Li Kai stared at it, awe tugging at his features.
"We're not just selling things anymore," he whispered.
Xiaomei nodded. "Now you're crafting meaning."
The forge pulsed gently, waiting.
From the shadows, the black thread twisted again—this time... in approval.