23:47
"Damn, I'm out of food."
The small room was lit only by the light from a computer monitor. It was enough to make out a single bed, a wardrobe with clothes, several shelves with all sorts of trinkets – be it books or anime figures-and, most importantly, a chair with the owner of this room, who looked at his empty table with unblinking eyes.
In the cold light, his pale face with circles under his eyes scanned the work area for anything to eat. Finding nothing useful, the decision was made immediately.
"It's time to go to the convenience store."
Thin hands with callused palms have already begun to do the usual things: put on jeans, roll up the sleeves of your favorite shirt, grab a backpack for hiking on the street / in the woods / where fate will take you, quietly open the door to the room, and close it so as not to disturb anyone in the apartment.
As he made his way down the lighted hallway to the exit, he paused at the mirror to smooth his unruly blond hair in one deft and practiced motion. Not the first time, but he managed it, even though one of the strands was constantly getting out of his hair.
He'd once thought it was a cool gesture.
Now it was happening automatically.
Unconsciously, his gaze was drawn to several photographs on the wall. Nothing out of the ordinary – a family of two adults, two children, and a dog that traveled to different places. In one of the pictures, everyone is posing on a mountain peak, and in the other, they are already in an amusement park. Everyone was smiling as if everything was fine.
Memories began to surface in the boy's mind... which he dismissed abruptly, trying to ignore.
Not now.
Walking to the front door, he was just putting on his shoes when he heard slow footsteps coming from the nearest room. Slowly, a middle-aged but still active setter approached the young man - all white, and with only one ear in black color. The dog looked questioningly at the dressed man, as if asking a silent question.
"I won't be long, Bim. I'll be back in twenty minutes."
As he spoke, the young man leaned down and stroked the dog, to which the dog responded with half-closed eyes, clearly pleased with the caress. Smiling a tired smile, the guy opens the front door and goes out into the entrance of his house, not forgetting to close it behind him.
After descending a couple of floors and breaking the last barrier of another door, he comes out onto the street – dark, cool, and quiet. The store was only a five – minute leisurely walk away-it was literally on another street. The area was one of the safest in the city, so everything was fine.
Nothing out of the ordinary should have happened.
But...
Walking towards the target, the young man stopped and squeezed his eyes shut due to a severe headache. This was a frequent occurrence in the last six months, but now it hit my eyes hard, which made me have to close my eyelids with force to overcome a migraine.
And just as the pain reached its brief but devastating peak, he heard words that seemed to be at the very edge of his consciousness. Words that he had never heard from anyone in his entire life.
Words that became a starting point.
"I love you"
Then he opened his eyes and went blind.
***
At first, a flash of light blinded me, causing the remnants of my headache to flare up again. I had experienced this before, but this time it was much worse – as if my tired body had finally decided to break down and end my existence.
Then the noise was deafening – the screams of people, the creaking of wood, the clinking of metal, and the clatter of stone. I heard exactly the same sounds when I was vacationing in the village with my parents' friends in the summer.
Then came the smell – fresh pastries, heated hay, the freshness of water nearby, and the faint smell of sewage. It's like I went out to the city market on a summer day, and they forgot to clean the sewers nearby.
I could feel the fresh breeze on my skin and the warmth of the midday sun. Considering that I rarely go outside these days, this is...
It was nice.
But that was wrong.
When I finally opened my eyes, I saw what I had only seen in movies and games – a full-fledged medieval city. Stone buildings that are no more than a few stories high. Cobblestone streets where people and carts moved. The counters of merchants who invite customers to their homes. And the fountain I was standing next to.
It was like being in a fairy tale.
But that was wrong.
However, there were some distinguishing features: not all passers-by were human. I was able to notice both people with animal characteristics, whether ears or tails, and those who did not resemble people from the world at all. The carriages that passed along the road were drawn by some giant lizards. And all the inscriptions I saw were in a language I didn't understand, which was quite unusual, since I understood all the voices that were around me.
Now it looked strange.
And it was absolutely wrong!
Feeling my breathing quicken, I found a nearby bench and sat down on it, trying to calm myself. Just a minute ago, I was going to buy food in my hometown, and just a moment later, I found myself in a city from Isekai!
It couldn't be true.
It's definitely my imagination.
This is definitely a trick on my tired brain...
Some of the water from the fountain hit the back of my head, causing me to reflexively run a hand through my damp hair. And, oddly enough, it sobered me up enough that I was able to accept for a split second the most incredible assumption...
I'm not in my own world.
Just as that thought formed in my panicked mind, a blue translucent screen appeared right in front of my face.
(Welcome, User 626)
(Chaos Gacha activation!)
…
What?
(Chaos Gacha is a project that allows people who have moved to other worlds to gain strength and power in exchange for bringing chaos and entertainment!)
(You were randomly selected when you went to another world. Rejoice!)
(Let me explain the rules: for performing unusual actions – whether it's defeating monsters, saving princesses, or destroying a kingdom – the user will receive tickets that can be exchanged for something of equivalent rarity-abilities, items, skills, and traits. The rewards are completely random. From the start, you have one ability slot, which increases by 1 for every 5 abilities you get. All items obtained in Gacha can be stored in the spatial inventory.)
(Since your curses are already selected, you will receive additional tickets in addition to the starting three.)
(The rest of the rules will either be reported to you later, or you'll have to figure it out yourself.)
(Good luck, User 626)
(You will need it)
…
What the hell just happened?
And just as I was thinking about it, a whole bundle of tickets appeared in my clenched palm. They felt like they were made of metal, but they were incredibly light and flexible. There were no drawings on them, but it was as if I intuitively understood that I only had to tear them a little to trigger the effect of receiving a reward.
And again, the notifications in front of my eyes:
(+ 3 Gold Random Gacha Tickets)
(+ 4 Gold Choice Gacha Tickets)
(+ 1 Platinum Random Gacha Ticket)
(+ 2 Platinum Choose Gacha Tickets)
(Choose tickets mean you can choose the award category)
That's... quite generous, isn't it?"
But now, in order, before I completely lose my mind, from all of this.
So, first of all, I found myself in a different world while walking to the store. It happened all of a sudden, and I don't understand what caused it. But the fact remains that I'm in Isekai. This is confirmed by both the environment and this strange system.
Second: the Chaos Gacha system that chose me as a user... for fun? This is such an absurd thing that I would just throw it away if it weren't for the bundle of tickets clutched in my hand, which are physical evidence of all the nonsense that has befallen me.
Third: Curses. The word was mentioned in passing, but I don't like the sound of it. This... thing claims that they were chosen for me, and judging by the number of them, exactly 7. If you start from the fact that there are three starting tickets, then I received all the others as a reward. And yet I have absolutely no idea what these curses are, or how they will affect me.
I hate the unknown.
And to sum it up: a different world, a reward system, and the obvious power in my fist.
Except...
I don't want that.
I just wanted to buy some food, come home, and sit down to watch anime again. Then wake up in the morning, take a walk with Beam (preferably without crossing paths with your parents), and then come back and continue your job search again. Or loaf around.
Then sleep again, wake up...
And so on, day after day.
Day after day...
The good old routine that blurred into a single gray line more and more, pulling me down...
Did I really want this?
I... don't know. And this feeling has been haunting me for years. Not knowing what to do, why to live, and continue to do something after...
I look back at the tickets.
Still, I want to go home. Parents clearly don't deserve to go through the death of another child. Even though I didn't die, how...
Shaking my head to collect my thoughts, I instinctively choose three identical golden tickets – my "starter kit". Crumpling them in my hand, I watch them disappear, and a screen with rewards appears in front of my face:
------------------------
Rolling Gold Random Gacha Ticket…
[Initiate Magician]
|Rare Trait|
You are a Magician who has just embarked on their journey into the mystical. You are able to learn, memorise, and master spells faster as well as cast them more efficiently. The penalties for learning a magical system that is not your own are mitigated.
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Rolling Gold Random Gacha Ticket…
[Doctor Doolittle]
|Rare Trait|
With this trait, you could become a great veterinarian! It allows you to communicate with animals, better understand their biology and methods of treating diseases, and makes all creatures more friendly to you.
------------------------
Rolling Gold Random Gacha Ticket…
[211-V Plasma Cutter]
|Uncommon Item |
Dead Space - This compact cutter fires bolts of ionized plasma that cut easily through most surfaces, making it a cheap but versatile mining tool. It can be readily modified, though some upgrades may cause the plasma to become unstable and ignite surfaces on contact.
Ammo refresh timer – 20 rounds every 12 hours.
------------------------
Several events occur at once.
First – the voices in the square are joined by several others who, although they speak a human language, clearly do not belong to people.
Second – a mining tool falls into my lap, straight out of the 25th century.
And third – I felt like I could feel... something in the air. I wasn't sure what it was, but I can guess that it's probably mana. After all, the world in which I found myself, apparently, is magical.
Confused for a split second, I place my hand on the plasma cutter and tell it to disappear into my internal inventory. I'll study it later – in a more convenient place.
So, here's how it works. It turns out that when I use a ticket, the reward is given out instantly – items appear next to me, and traits are instantly integrated into me. This may become a problem in the future, because something may fall out that I can't hide immediately, or get used to a new flow of information instantly.
So, I decided to leave the nearest alley and continue there. It didn't take me long, and I hid behind the crates and pulled out the tickets again.
I need something that I can actively use. I have 7 tickets left in total, and the instructions say that ability slots open for every 5 powers acquired. I'd probably rather get these 5 abilities with tickets now that I have a choice. So I'm going for two platinum tickets:
------------------------
Rolling Platinum Ability Gacha Ticket…
[Perfect Impostor]
|Legendary Ability|
You can disguise yourself as other people with your ability, but not just that, it will apply a normality effect on them that will actively convince others that you are that person, even if you act out of character. The more out of character, the more energy you consume, and the effect will fade if the target is absolutely stronger than you or you act in ways that would directly compromise your identity.
------------------------
Rolling Platinum Ability Gacha Ticket…
[Diamond Skin]
|Elite Ability|
One Piece - You can cover your body in a diamond-like texture, massively enhancing your durability and mass against all forms of damage. Even as a base human, you can easily take high-calibre bullets and tank shells without feeling much, a car could hit you without knocking you off your feet, and you can walk through fire without feeling a thing. Even a missile cannot kill you, even if it would hurt.
------------------------
Holy shit!
I can't contain my surprise, because what I got is incredible. One ability allows me to hide in a world where I don't yet know who to trust, and the other allows me to protect myself if necessary. But I'll test both of them after I find a safe place to stay.
Okay, let's move on. Next platinum ticket:
------------------------
Rolling Platinum Random Gacha Ticket…
[Ordinary World]
|Elite Ability|
The Evil Within - Allows you to get into the "Ordinary World" - a place where consciousnesses are intertwined when you come into contact with another person. You, as a source, gain the ability to influence the space and mind of the one you have touched. However, the stronger the target, the more you will have to put in the effort to do something. The only limitation is that the ability only works on one person at a time, unless you have other abilities that allow you to bypass this.
------------------------
This is a fairly powerful, though not a combat ability. However, I am frankly afraid of her potential in dark matters. Influence people's minds… I hope I don't ever have to do anything that might harm another person.
But, putting aside my dubious thoughts, I have only two abilities left to open the second slot. So I decided to distribute the remaining tickets as follows: two per ability, one per skill, and one per trait.
------------------------
Rolling Gold Ability Gacha Ticket…
[Regeneration]
|Rare Ability|
Gives you a healing factor, your wounds close at speeds visible to the naked eye, and some wounds you sustain mid-fight may even close by the time the fight ends. You most likely won't die from any non-lethal wounds as long as you have energy. You can further speed up healing by expending energy.
------------------------------------------------
Rolling Gold Ability Gacha Ticket…
[Great Soul Arrow]
|Uncommon Ability|
Darksouls - Draw energy from your life and soul and shape it as a weapon. This is a more refined and potent version of the Soul Arrow, which forms an arrow-like projectile that can curve in the air towards targets. As the origin of the arrow is linked to the soul, its power scales with the might of one's soul in addition to their energy levels.
------------------------------------------------
Rolling Gold Skill Gacha Ticket…
[Adept Persuasion]
|Rare Skill|
You are a skilled talker for sure, you are well-trained in the art of convincing people with your words and actions. Being able to present yourself in ways that make you easier to believe and knowing how to make people believe what you are and what you are saying to them. You would make a damn fine politician.
------------------------------------------------
Rolling Gold Trait Gacha Ticket…
[Winners' Rights]
|Rare Trait|
Whenever you win a competition or a bet, you get to dictate the terms of your rewards, and the other party cannot refuse as long as your demand is directly proportional to the bet you won.
------------------------
You have acquired 5 unique abilities! +1 Active Ability Slot
------------------------
And, for the fourth time in a row, quite good results. The regeneration ability will be perfectly combined with [Diamond Skin], and [Great Soul Arrow] will be a way to deal damage, in addition to [Plasma Cutter]. As for the trait and skill, the ability to lead a conversation and persuade losers to make bets is a very good combination. I can become a good bookmaker, trader, or even a politician.
And here I was, half an hour ago in a new world, standing in an alley and thinking about what to do next.
The primary goal is to find a way to return home. No matter how strained my relationship with my parents is, I don't want to leave them alone. Accordingly, I need to find something that will help me in this task. And to do this, I will need two of the most important things in the world:
Money and knowledge.
I take a step toward the alley's exit, but stop.
Only now, when the euphoria of acquiring abilities subsided, did I think about it.
I'm alone. Completely alone. I do not know who or what surrounds me. I don't know how dangerous it is or how to interact with the local population. I don't know the history or language.
I'm scared.
I shouldn't be here. And yet here I am.
How and why – these questions are still open. But...
I guess I can solve all this in the process. Fear won't help me – it never has. Being afraid to take a step forward will only make me feel worse. So, after taking a deep breath, I continue moving, while simultaneously equipping the [Diamond Skin] and [Regeneration] ability slots.
I do not know what awaits me.
But it's time to find out.
And come what may.
***
Through a distorted mirror, a creature watched him. It was gathering strength and waiting for it to break free.
He wanted so badly to destroy himself.
Author's note: And here we are. I've been wanting to write a fanfiction based on Re:Zero for a long time, but I've only just gotten around to it. Perhaps the first chapter will be edited later, because I'm not entirely happy with it. In the future, I plan to spend more time describing the moral experiences of the characters, including the main character, so I hope for your support. Enjoy.