Bullish in Another World: Isekai Trading for Survival

Chapter One: The Candle That Changed My Life

**Chapter One: The Candle That Changed My Life**

Mia sat hunched over her laptop in her cramped Tokyo apartment, sipping lukewarm coffee and staring at her forex and stock trading charts. She had long given up on the dream of becoming a millionaire, but hey, a little side income wouldn’t hurt, right? Between juggling a thankless office job and trying to crack the mysteries of forex trading, Mia's life felt like one long, exhausting attempt at adulting.

Her trading strategy, if one could call it that, involved a lot of guessing and hoping. Bollinger Bands, RSI, candlestick patterns—she knew the terms, but they all seemed like abstract art. Mia’s only solace was the fact that she wasn’t alone in the chaotic world of amateur trading. She belonged to several online forums where she shared stories of her losses and the occasional lucky win, all with a dash of self-deprecating humor.

It was a rainy Friday night, and Mia was about to call it quits for the day. The last few trades had been brutal—just when she thought the market was going up, it tanked. She glanced at the clock, rubbing her tired eyes. Midnight. "Okay, universe," she muttered, "any time you want to send me a miracle, I’m ready."

Suddenly, her phone buzzed. It wasn’t an alert for a trade but a notification for an app she didn’t recognize: *Trade-o-verse: The Isekai Trading Simulator*.

“What the…?”

Mia frowned. She didn’t remember downloading this, but curiosity got the better of her. She tapped on the notification, and the app opened to a flashy loading screen. The graphics were surprisingly good—an animated market chart displayed with floating candlesticks and price bars. The tagline read: *"Master the markets in another world!"*

A chuckle escaped her. "Seriously? An isekai trading game? This sounds ridiculous."

The screen blinked once, then twice, before her vision swam. The world around her seemed to blur and twist as if the universe had hit the ‘sell all’ button on reality. A loud whooshing sound filled her ears, and she felt herself falling—down, down, down—until everything went black.

---

When Mia opened her eyes, she was no longer in her tiny apartment. Instead, she found herself lying on a luxurious, oversized bed draped in silk sheets. The room was grand, with marble floors, gilded furniture, and a giant window that looked out onto an unfamiliar cityscape. Tall, silver-glass skyscrapers dotted the horizon, and beyond that, a sky full of stars and two moons.

“What the hell…?” Mia shot up in bed, her heart racing. She quickly glanced around, feeling for her phone. No phone, no laptop, just some weird, glowing orb floating beside the bed.

The orb, noticing her wakefulness, buzzed to life. “Greetings, trader Mia! Welcome to Eodora, the world where trading is power, and power is everything!”

Mia blinked. “What?”

The orb bobbed in the air, speaking in a chipper tone. “You’ve been transported to the realm of Eodora, where successful trading isn’t just a financial pursuit—it’s a way of life. Here, traders hold political power, influence wars, and decide the fate of nations. You have been chosen for your… trading potential.”

“Okay, I’m dreaming. Clearly.” Mia pinched her arm hard, wincing as pain shot through her. “Not dreaming?”

The orb shimmered and continued, undeterred. “You are now a member of the prestigious Traders’ Guild. Using your skills in stock and forex markets, you’ll compete with other traders in real-time to amass wealth, political sway, and magical abilities. Think of it as a never-ending, high-stakes trading session—only with much, much bigger consequences!”

Mia stared at the orb in disbelief. “Are you telling me that I’m in an isekai world where my worth is based on… stock and forex trading?”

“Yes!”

“Are you freaking kidding me?!”

“I would never kid a trader of your caliber!” the orb said enthusiastically. “Your trading skills—”

“I have *no* trading skills!”

“Well, that’s not entirely true,” the orb continued cheerfully. “You’ve used Bollinger Bands before, haven’t you?”

Mia groaned. “Sure, if by ‘used,’ you mean randomly applied them to my charts without really understanding what they do.”

“No matter! In Eodora, your knowledge will grow exponentially. Here, trading influences everything: from the rise and fall of empires to the strength of your personal magic. The more you profit, the stronger you become!”

“Great,” Mia muttered, “because nothing says 'fantasy adventure' like exchange rates.”

Before she could protest further, the orb buzzed toward the door. “Come! Your first lesson awaits. The market opens soon, and you’ll want to be prepared. We’ll start with a basic currency pair battle—USD/JPY versus the Eodoran Crown!”

Mia dragged herself out of bed, still half in shock. "Wait, wait—what do you mean 'currency pair battle'? And what happens if I lose?"

The orb hesitated. "Well... it depends on the severity of the loss. You could, in theory, lose some magical abilities, influence, or... um, your freedom to trade."

"Seriously? I could become some kind of stock market prisoner?!"

The orb buzzed nervously. "Only if you're really, really bad at trading. But don't worry, you're sure to get the hang of it!"

Mia sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Oh, great. I’m doomed. My trading skills are barely good enough to handle demo accounts, let alone a life-or-death magical economy."

"Think of it as a fun challenge!" The orb tried to sound encouraging. "Plus, you get to wear really cool robes."

Mia couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. "Well, at least there’s that."

As she followed the orb down the grand marble hallways, Mia silently vowed that if she ever made it back to her world, she’d *really* learn how to trade. But for now, she'd have to navigate this magical financial market without crashing… both her balance and her life.

**End of Chapter One**