Daniel is tense. His hand rests on the grip of his gun, fingers clenched, ready to react at the slightest sign of danger. He doesn't know exactly what to expect, but he's prepared to shoot at anything violent the gacha might materialize.
He's still surprised by how easy it was to bring his weapon into Atlas. All he had to do was declare it as his own, and that was it—no further questions, no complicated records, no extra security measures.
"Gun control? Pff… what's the point when weapons can literally transform into anything?"
A thermos-gun? Why not? A trumpet-shotgun? No problem. A sniper-briefcase? Seems perfectly fine.
The bureaucracy seemed more concerned about people with Aura than about civilians carrying a standard firearm. Simply admitting he had it was enough to mark him as "not a threat" and let him through, as if it were just an insignificant detail.
The cold metal under his fingers gives him a certain sense of security. It's a familiar weight, solid. He's practiced more since that disaster with the monkey. He doesn't consider himself an expert, but he's definitely improved.
His aim is sharper, his movements more controlled. Plus, he has a natural advantage: his strength. He assumes it's the same edge that Hunters rely on. Recoil barely affects him, allowing him to maintain a steadier aim than most.
Even so, he can't help but wonder if GLaDOS was right. Maybe he should have waited, found a safer place before doing this. But it's not like he made the decision recklessly. This place makes sense. It's far from people, security is low, and the space is wide and enclosed enough to contain whatever the system gives him.
It's also private enough to stash any rewards he can't take with him immediately. If something is too big or troublesome to transport now, he can leave it here until he figures out a way to move it without drawing unnecessary attention.
Either way, there's no turning back now.
The system's sound cuts through his thoughts. In front of him, the screen glows as it displays the list of obtained items.
[Item obtained: Mines of Khazad-dûm]
[Passive skill obtained: Shōnen Destiny]
[Passive skill obtained: Futterwacken]
[Item obtained: Pistol of Misfortune]
[Item obtained: Long-Lasting Boomerang]
[Item obtained: Nimbus VibraRider-3000]
[Item obtained: Project VI]
[Creature obtained: Land of Ooo Creature]
"Ahh…"
As he reads through the list, he lets out a long, heavy sigh. He feels the tension in his body ease—if only a little. There doesn't seem to be any immediate danger, and that's a relief. Most of the rewards are items or skills, exactly what he wanted. Except for the last gacha.
A creature from "Ooo."
He frowns. Reads it again. Still has no idea what the hell "Ooo" is supposed to be. It doesn't sound particularly threatening, but it's not exactly reassuring either. Either way, he takes comfort in the fact that it'll be the last reward he claims. That gives him some time to prepare.
And having it last is actually an advantage. Knowing how the system's automatic delivery function works, it would be a disaster if he had to talk—or worse, fight—while random objects appeared around him.
That thought finally kicks his brain into gear. His two lone brain cells crash into each other, and as a result, the big question emerges.
"Why the hell did I decide to claim all the gachas at once?"
He freezes. Blinks. His mind rewinds a few minutes, reviewing his own thought process. And he realizes he could have just done it one at a time, taking his time to check each reward carefully. It's not like the system was going to give him a special bonus for doing it all at once.
[A/N: The author doesn't know either because he just realized it now, hahaha.]
Daniel sighs, closes his eyes, and smacks his forehead with the palm of his hand.
"I'm a damn idiot…"
He stays silent for a moment, reflecting on all the decisions that led him to this. Then, he shakes his head, resigned.
"Well… what's done is done."
He can't undo it. He just has to remember not to make the same dumb mistake in the future. With one last huff, he decides to stop wasting time and focus on the first reward that starts materializing.
[Item obtained: Mines of Khazad-dûm]
The Mines of Khazad-dûm, a place of myths and riches… or so they say. Just walk in and take whatever you want. Surely nothing bad will happen to you…
He barely has time to read the system message before a map appears in front of him. He grabs it immediately and gives it a quick look.
He stops. Blinks.
To his surprise, this isn't just another joke from the gacha. It's a map of Remnant, which means the Mines of Khazad-dûm should actually exist in this world.
Or at least, that's what he assumes.
He pinpoints its location on the continent of Solitas.
"That's… both good and bad," he murmurs to himself, narrowing his eyes. On one hand, it's far enough from Atlas that no one will just show up out of nowhere to steal his precious materials. But on the other… it's also far from Atlas. Which means getting there is going to be a problem in itself.
Not to mention the obvious: he'll probably have to cross half the continent, survive the extreme climate, and fight off a horde of Grimm just to set foot in the place. And that's without considering whatever dangers might be lurking inside the mine.
He sighs in resignation, trying not to dwell too much on how complicated this is going to be. Instead, he distracts himself by focusing on the mine's name.
"Khazad-dûm…"
He has no idea what world these mines come from, but his polyglot ability at least helps him understand the name. The word "Khazad" seems to be a way of referring to dwarves, and "dûm" translates to "mansion."
"Dwarven mansion…" he mutters to himself, scratching his chin curiously.
He quickly grabs the map and brings it over to GLaDOS. He doesn't trust leaving it out in the open or in a physical form without backup, so he prefers to have her store it in her memory as an extra security measure.
"Here, take a look."
GLaDOS doesn't hesitate to scan the map immediately. She analyzes the data for a few seconds before speaking.
"Nice map. What's it for?"
"It's for a mine. Probably full of rare and valuable materials. And probably also… fantastical."
GLaDOS' light flickers with a hint of doubt.
"Fantastical?"
Daniel nods with conviction.
"Very likely to have fantasy materials. Like… mithril, adamant, orichalcum… stuff like that."
He can practically feel GLaDOS' skepticism in the air even before she says anything.
"You do realize all the metals you just mentioned are fictional, right?"
"Yeah, I know," he replies, pointing at the map. "But think about it: it's a dwarven mine. A fantasy dwarven mine. Ergo, it should have fantasy minerals. Makes sense, doesn't it?"
He realizes how dumb it sounds when he says it out loud, but he genuinely believes it.
"Either way, we should keep it in mind for the future. We could use those materials for weapons, equipment, new technology, or… I can't think of anything else, but trust me on this."
GLaDOS stays silent for a few seconds. Then, she lets out a faint mechanical sigh.
"Ah… fine."
Seeing that she accepted his reasoning without too much argument, Daniel wastes no time and quickly adds:
"And it's probably full of dangers."
That immediately gets GLaDOS' attention.
"What?"
But she's cut off right away.
"Shhh, no time for more questions. The next gacha is already appearing."
Before she can insist, a new message begins to unfold before him.
[Passive Skill Acquired: Shōnen Destiny]
Anime cliché #12: You're a terrible cook, but you live in denial...
Daniel blinks as he reads the description.
"What a stupid skill."nA short laugh escapes him—more out of disbelief than amusement.
"Obviously I'm an amazing cook!!"
He says it with absolute confidence, like it's an undeniable truth. He doesn't even bother reading the rest of the text. To him, it's clear: the skill is wrong, so he decides not to waste any more time on it.
[Passive Skill Acquired: Futterwacken]
Surprise! You can now dance the Futterwacken. That is, if you even know what it is.
He frowns, confused.
"...I have no idea what the Futterwacken is."
He looks up at GLaDOS and Aegis, who are silently watching him from the box where he left them.
"Do you two know what the Futterwacken is?"
"No."
Both answer in unison, without a second's thought.
'Perfect. Super helpful.'
With a resigned sigh, he decides to give it a try anyway. If it's a dance, the skill should activate on its own, right? So he starts moving, testing out random steps. But it doesn't take long before he feels completely ridiculous. No rhythm, no guidance, no nothing. Just him, flailing around like an idiot in front of two silent witnesses.
The silence is finally broken by GLaDOS.
"You've got a clown skill now? I see you're using it perfectly."
He stops immediately, feeling even more exposed.
"Screw the Futterwacken."
With what little dignity he has left, he decides to leave the skill behind and focus on the next item.
[Item Acquired: Gun of Misfortune]
Infinite bullets, zero accuracy. Doesn't matter if your target is one meter away—your chance to miss is 110%. A true gem!
In front of him, a gun appears floating and gently drops to the floor with a soft click. Daniel picks it up, spins it around his fingers, inspecting it. At first glance, it looks like a normal gun. Nothing in its design screams "cursed weapon," but he's already read the description.
And if that's true, testing it out sounds like a terrible idea.
Even at point-blank range, the damn thing misses. Which means he could end up hurting GLaDOS, Aegis, or—worse—himself.
GLaDOS seems to pick up on his hesitation.
"A gun?"
He nods, giving it one last look before setting it down on the map, using it as a paperweight.
"Yeah, but this weapon always misses."
"What do you mean by 'always misses'?"
"Exactly that. Doesn't matter if I aim from one meter away. It never hits the target."
GLaDOS goes quiet for a few seconds, processing. Then, her judgment is instant.
"Trash."
Daniel doesn't even try to argue.
"Yeah. Trash."
And so the gun stays there, fulfilling its new and glorious purpose as a fancy paperweight.
[Item Acquired: Long-Duration Boomerang]
Throw it far—as far as you want. It always comes back… eventually.
A boomerang materializes in front of him and drops to the ground with a soft thud.
Without thinking too much about it, he picks it up and examines it. At first glance, it doesn't look special. No strange inscriptions, no weird glow, no suspicious aura. Nothing that would suggest it's anything other than an ordinary, everyday boomerang.
He decides to test it.
He doesn't throw it too hard. Just a quick, light motion—enough to see if anything happens. He's not expecting much, but the moment it leaves his hand, the boomerang shoots forward at full speed. His eyes barely manage to follow its trajectory as it ascends… and then, a sharp crack fills the room.
The window shatters into a thousand pieces.
Glass rains down to the floor with a brief, glittering crash, and then—silence. Thick, heavy, awkward silence.
And then...
[Sound effect: Applause Recording]
He doesn't need to turn around to know who's responsible.
"Don't say a word," he warns quietly, turning just enough to point a finger at GLaDOS. Then he gestures to his right. "You neither," he adds, addressing Aegis, who remains stoic and still. Neither of them replies. But he can feel the silent judgment.
A few minutes pass. He keeps staring at the broken window. Waiting. With a small, stupid hope that the boomerang will come back.
It doesn't.
He sighs.
"Well… goodbye, boomerang."
Before he can dwell on it any longer, the next item begins to materialize in front of him.
[Item Acquired: Nimbus VibraRider-3000]
Long, hard, and vibrating… yeah, just how you like it. The most cutting-edge flying broom for unsatisfied witches and adventurous spirits. Just hop on and enjoy the ride...
In front of him, a broom starts to take shape in midair. It hovers a few inches off the ground—sleek and gleaming. The moment he sees it, his heart skips a beat.
"YESSS!"
[A/N: No homo]
He can't help but run toward it. He circles around the broom, eyes sparkling with excitement. He activates his shared vision with Aegis to get a better look, and just as he suspected, the aura surrounding it is unlike anything he's seen before. He can only assume it's magic.
Intrigued, he reaches out and touches it. A shiver runs down his spine.
The damn thing is vibrating. His expression freezes.
Yeah… no way he's sitting on that.
But that doesn't mean he's going to miss the chance to fulfill his dream.
Determined, he jumps up and stands on the broom. His adhesion ability keeps him balanced with ease. Beneath his feet, the vibration is still there—a weird, constant buzz that he chooses to ignore.
Right now, the only thing that matters is that his dream of riding a magical broom is finally about to come true.
He can't help but get excited.
He tries to make it move "Come on..." he mutters, pressing lightly with his feet, hoping it'll react.
Nothing.
For a moment, absolutely nothing happens. The silence stretches on longer than necessary. But just when he's about to get frustrated...
BAM!
The broom shoots forward.
"Turn," he commands, trying to control it. "Turn, turn, turn!" But he's not in control. Not even close.
The broom ignores every attempt, every command, and then the inevitable happens:
BAM!
It crashes headfirst into the warehouse wall.
There are a few seconds of absolute silence. Then GLaDOS's laughter fills the room.
"HAHAHAHA!"
Daniel chooses to ignore her. He doesn't care. He's happy.
He figured something like this would happen. He knew he wouldn't be able to control it because, well... he doesn't have magic.
But there it is. The broom, still floating in front of him. Like a cursed promise.
And he smiles, determined "I'll find some use for it."
[Item Acquired: Project VI]
Congratulations! You've obtained the original blueprints for Project VI. A true marvel for a genius... Too bad you're not one. Good luck with that!
In front of him, several blueprints materialize on the ground in a chaotic pile. Some float for a moment before falling in disarray.
Daniel watches in silence. He can't help but notice a pattern in all this...
Like whoever designed these gachas never once considered that he might try to sell them—or even look for someone else to build them.
It's as if they just assumed he would never consider another option.
[A/N: I didn't, and I'm not changing my gacha list now.]
Daniel crouches down, picks up the blueprints before they get damaged, and walks over to GLaDOS.
"For you," he says, showing them to her.
GLaDOS doesn't hesitate to scan them. She lets out a sound of satisfaction the moment she starts analyzing them, like she's savoring the moment.
"Ah~ Beautiful, fantastic blueprints," she murmurs, enjoying how her arsenal expands with every page.
Daniel keeps handing them over, one after another, fast and steady.
"What do you think?"
"They're magnificent. Perfect for the future," she answers without missing a beat.
Daniel nods silently, still flipping through the pages. He has to hurry. The last gacha is about to drop.
And just as he finishes...
The next one already begins to materialize.
With an automatic motion, he straightens up and reaches for his weapon.
Because the next gacha is already here.
[Creature Acquired: Land of Ooo Creature]
You've obtained a random creature from the Land of Ooo. It might be adorable… or a walking nightmare. Either way, it's your problem now.
The first thing he does is read the description as fast as he can.
Looking for signs, clues—any kind of warning about what he just got.
But the text is no help at all. It's vague, imprecise, clearly written to confuse on purpose.
At the same time, the creature begins to materialize in front of him.
If the Grimm already seemed terrifying, this thing is way worse.
A beast with a werewolf-like appearance, bulky and covered in dark, matted, filthy fur, rises before him.
It's bigger than anything he's faced so far. Even bigger than the Grimm that attacked him on his first day in this world.
Once it finishes taking shape, its eyes lock onto his.
Cold. Intelligent.
For a second, Daniel hesitates. He doesn't shoot.
There's something different in that stare.
He thinks maybe… maybe it's not hostile. Maybe it's capable of reason. There's always a chance, right?
And right at that moment, the creature growls. A guttural, drawn-out word, spoken in a strange language. But thanks to his polyglot skill, he understands it perfectly.
"Kill."
"Nope!"
That's all he says before pulling out his weapon and unloading the clip straight into the son of a bitch's chest.
BAM. BAM. BAM.
Quick, precise shots. Eight out of ten hit their mark.
There's no room for mistakes.
When he runs out of bullets, he drops the empty mag, grabs the backup with a practiced motion, reloads, and fires again.
BAM. BAM. BAM.
The bullets tear through the creature's chest, neck, face, an arm, a leg.
The beast finally drops to the ground with a heavy thud.
Seeing it fall, Daniel lets out a long breath.
A relieved one.
It lasts exactly ten seconds.
The beast, without any rush, gets back on its feet. Now standing upright on two legs, it towers over him by at least a meter and a half.
The wounds, one by one, begin to close.
Every bullet hole vanishes like it was never there. And fast.
Daniel can only stare in disbelief. His breathing slows, tightens.
The creature lets out a low, guttural laugh—just a harsh puff of air—as it bares its teeth.
"Shit, I'm dead."
-//-
Author's note:
Yes, the creature regenerates. He's super screwed. Obviously, he's not going to die, but the question is: how is he getting out of this one? Maybe he'll lose an arm, who knows.
And to anyone saying it's way too convenient that he pulls Futterwacken from the gacha right when his neck gets twisted—I'll just say that ability had been pending for over two months. The wolf is the new thing, and the neck twist was a last-minute decision because I thought it was funny.
Chapter too short? Well, yeah. I was supposed to upload it on Wednesday, but the AI I use to proofread my fanfic decided to stop working. It decided it was no longer its problem and started giving me nonsense. I curse it!
So if there are any mistakes, let me know. Anyway, I hope you liked it.
Kisses and hugs.