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When a screen appeared in front of Ryo out of nowhere, he froze in place, overwhelmed by shock. His eyes locked onto the cold blue light it emitted, while the cigarette slipped from his fingers, followed by the nearly empty alcohol bottle. It hit the floor and rolled slightly before settling with a muffled thud.
"What… is this?" he murmured hoarsely as he took a step forward. There was no explanation for its presence… A screen, floating in the air, in the middle of his room barely big enough to contain the chaos within it.
Ryo slowly reached out with a trembling hand, and when it passed through the screen as if it were smoke, his blood ran cold.
Then… the screen began to ripple.
In an instant, it transformed into a small vortex. Everything about it was unnatural. The winds that surged out weren't mere gusts of air—they felt like a force trying to devour everything.
Papers flew, curtains tore, and the worn-out furniture toppled over itself. Ryo felt his heart about to leap out of his chest and stumbled backward, eyes wide with terror, as if every instinct screamed: Run!
BOOM!
An explosion rang out suddenly, as if the world had split open from the heart of his room. Ryo dropped to the ground, arms shielding his head out of reflex.
There was a blinding golden light… far too intense to look at. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly, the pressure on his chest almost suffocating. He didn't know if he was dreaming or trapped in a nightmare.
Minutes passed… or maybe just long, agonizing seconds.
When he finally opened his eyes, everything had changed.
His room, which always looked like a dumpster for a broken man, now seemed like the aftermath of a battlefield. The walls were cracked, the floor littered with debris, and an eerie silence blanketed the chaos.
And in the midst of the destruction… floated a tiny girl, no bigger than the palm of his hand.
She wore a short robe, a glowing pendant around her neck, and a small crown atop her head. Her short golden hair shimmered softly, and her entire presence radiated a gentle golden light that touched everything around her like an angel's blessing.
Ryo froze in place, his breath ragged, his mind rejecting what his eyes were seeing.
Am I going crazy? Is this the alcohol? Or… am I dead?
Before he could collapse under the weight of his questions, a soft voice echoed directly in his head:
[Hello, Host, and congratulations. You've been granted the Blessing of the "True Universe".]
[I'm your cute little guide… Eva.]
[I've been assigned by the True Universe to assist you and explain what you don't understand.]
Ryo felt like he was losing his mind from the alcohol. He needed to be sure he wasn't hallucinating, so he pinched his thigh—hard.
"Ah!" The pain was sharp and real. This wasn't a dream or a delusion. He was awake… fully aware.
He swallowed hard and said in a trembling voice, "Who… are you?"
His voice carried a mix of shock and fear, briefly imagining that this being might be a monster.
The soft voice whispered again in his mind:
[Host, how dare you call someone like me a monster?]
Ryo's eyes widened. She… can read my thoughts?!
[Yes, I can read your thoughts because I'm linked to you, Host. And it's not polite to call me a monster.]
"S-sorry…" he muttered with embarrassment and confusion.
[It's good that you recognize your mistake.]
"Who… are you?"
[I'm Eva, your cute little guide.]
Eva floated closer to Ryo, hovering gracefully, surrounded by a calm golden aura that scattered gentle sparks every time she flapped her transparent wings.
"Where did you come from? And what's your job with me?"
[I'm your guide and the manager of the SSS-rank "Luck Roulette".]
Ryo didn't understand a word of that.
[Alright, let me explain. The True Universe has chosen you to receive its blessing. This blessing comes in the form of the "Luck Roulette".]
"But… why me?" Ryo wasn't anyone special. In fact, he was the weakest among all the Awakened in this world.
[Because you are special.]
"Me?!" He pointed to himself in disbelief.
[Yes, you. The reason is: you're the weakest person in this world.]
Ryo collapsed to the ground, a small hope inside him that maybe—just maybe—he was special, shattered. He had always wished to be unique… even a little.
[You might think that's a bad thing, but the truth is, you're the only one capable of withstanding the power that the "Luck Roulette" will grant.]
Ryo felt a flicker of joy… but a doubt crept in:
What if the things I get are garbage?
[You're wrong. Everything you'll receive consists of legendary items no one else could ever dream of.]
"And who is this True Universe? And what exactly will I get?"
[Good question. As for the "True Universe," you currently don't have the authority to know everything about it.]
[As for the elements... the "Luck Roulette" can be divided into two parts: the first is information, which can sometimes be useless and sometimes grant special things like hidden knowledge. The second part is an SSS-level roulette, which gives you cards of powerful characters, and their abilities become yours. But everything depends on your luck.]
Ryu was in complete shock. His world had just flipped upside down.
"Can I really obtain SSS-level power? That's... amazing!"
Ryu didn't care much for the first part. His mind was stuck on the roulette of powerful characters.
[Yes, but as I said, it all depends on your luck. However, you can be sure that all the characters are SSS-level, even though their strengths may differ.]
"I don't get it."
[Let me explain. You might get a character known for strength, or you might get one known for intelligence.]
Ryu nodded, showing he was beginning to understand.
"You mean I could get a character who's great at sword fighting, or one who's a master in medicine, right?"
[Exactly. But don't worry, they all excel in their respective fields.]
[Now, do you want to try the draw? The first one is free. After that, you'll need to pay for each attempt.]
Without hesitation, Ryu decided to take the risk. He had nothing to lose. If what she said was true, this might be his only chance to rise.
"I'll draw from the SSS-level Luck Roulette."
Suddenly, a giant wheel appeared in front of him, spinning and glowing with dazzling colors. Written on it were many names:
Zeus, Odin, Thor, Ophis, and others… Ryu was stunned. Were these... legendary figures from ancient civilizations who were once considered gods?
Could he really gain their powers? Would he become a lord like them?
It made sense now that Eva was the manager of an SSS-level Luck Roulette.
It's important to know—there were no known SSS-ranked Awakened beings in this world. They were also called "Lords."
Before Ryu could process everything, Eva spun the wheel, and it started rotating rapidly. He didn't know how long it went on, but eventually, it began to slow... until it stopped on one name:
[Congratulations! On your first draw, you received the "Heracles" card, the Hero of Olympus!]
Ryu was shocked. He had received Heracles—someone who climbed to the top after falling, who went through countless trials and adventures, and wielded immense power.
Suddenly, a golden beam of light appeared. Ryu instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes. When he lowered it, he saw a golden card with an illustration of a muscular man, bare-chested, wearing simple pants and leather gloves, a helmet made from a lion's skull on his head, and flaming red hair.
Before he could say a word, the card transformed into golden threads and pierced his body.
In that moment, Ryu felt energy rushing through his veins. At first, it felt pleasant... then the heat rose, burning more and more until it felt like he was standing on the sun's surface. He felt his bones break and reform, his body being reforged anew.
Unable to bear the pain, he opened his mouth and roared like a volcano erupting within, releasing a massive energy burst that crushed furniture and blasted away the chaos around him.
If Eva hadn't activated a barrier to protect the house, everything would've exploded.
Time passed slowly. A quarter of an hour went by before the pain finally started to fade.
When the pain ended, Ryu was still lying on the ground, gasping for breath. Despite all he had gone through, he didn't pass out. For him... the pain of gaining power was nothing compared to the pain of betrayal, abandonment, and contempt.
After minutes of silence, Ryu slowly stood up, his body trembling—but his eyes... were glowing with something new.
Suddenly, he spoke with excitement:
"This is real... I feel power coursing through my veins... I feel like I could destroy a mountain with a punch! Where…?"
Of course, that was just his imagination, but he really could destroy a house with ease now.
Ryu quickly moved toward a dark corner of the house, where everything was messy and things were scattered.
It looked like he was searching for something in a pile of garbage. Eva followed him silently, watching him curiously.
"Where... where is that damn watch?!"
Ryu was tossing aside dirty clothes and empty food containers, his eyes scanning for a specific watch.
This wasn't just any watch—it was a special device used by Awakened beings to display their stats and help them understand their level.
[Host, what are you looking for?]
Without looking up, Ryu replied with frustration:
"I'm looking for the Awakened Watch... I want to see my stats."
[I believe the host doesn't need it. He can access his stats via the system's status screen.]
Ryu froze mid-motion, slowly raised his head, and looked at Eva with slightly widened eyes.
"Really?"
Eva nodded gently with a soft smile.
"Then... show me my status."
Suddenly, a translucent screen appeared in the air before him, glowing with a soft blue light and displaying his stats:
[Name: Ryu Kim
Title: None
Level: 0
Strength: 25
Mana: 21
Trait: Super Strength – SSS Level (From Heracles – Progress: 0.01%)
Potential: Unlimited
Skill: True Eye]
Ryu's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the numbers—numbers he hadn't seen in five years... since his first awakening.
"My strength... it was 5, and now it's 25!"
His heartbeat raced as he reread the data. Strength represented physical attributes: speed, endurance, agility, and raw power.
As for mana, which used to be a single point—his biggest weakness and the source of his shame—it had now skyrocketed to 21.
And he finally had a trait... "Super Strength" derived from a legendary figure: Heracles.
In this world, mana is important—but the trait is what truly defines a person's destiny. When Ryu first awakened, he didn't have one, which only deepened his despair.
But one question bugged him. He furrowed his brows and asked:
"Eva... why is there a progress bar for Heracles' power? And why don't I have any of his skills yet?"
[Well, host, that's because you're still too weak. Your body can't handle the full power of someone who stands at the peak. You'll need to train and level up to unlock Heracles' skills.]
She paused, then added:
[Also, you have the "True Eye" skill, which allows you to see hidden information.]
Hearing Eva's explanation, Ryu calmed down a bit and began to see things more clearly. He looked back at the screen, this time with eyes full of determination, realizing that the "True Eye" skill would be his greatest weapon—helping him see through enemies, discover dungeon secrets, and uncover the mysteries behind unknown weapons.
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