Episode 1: A Spin of Fate
The dirt of the alleyway was cold and damp against Jack's cheek. The coppery taste of blood filled his mouth, a familiar flavor in his life. Grunts and cruel laughter echoed around him as boots connected with his ribs, each kick sending a fresh jolt of agony through his frail body.
"Please… just stop," a smaller voice whimpered. "Leave my brother alone!"
Through a swollen eye, Jack saw his little brother, Liam, pinned against the grimy wall by two of the older boys. Tears carved clean paths through the grime on Liam's face. It was the same as always. Jack, too weak and powerless to protect the only person that mattered, forced to endure the humiliation so that Liam would only bear the sight of it, not the full force of their cruelty.
"You think you can tell us what to do, gutter rat?" Marcus, the ringleader, sneered, delivering a final, contemptuous kick to Jack's stomach. "You have nothing. You are nothing."
The words cut deeper than the blows. They were the truth. In the slums of the Aethelburg Metroplex, power was everything. Power came from wealth, from connections, from awakened Abilities. Jack had none of it. He was just a statistic, another nameless face in the sprawling undercity.
As black spots danced at the edge of his vision, a single, desperate prayer echoed in his mind, a mantra he'd repeated every day of his miserable life: 'Just once. Just once, let me have the power to protect him.'
The world obeyed.
Time shattered.
The bullies' taunts, the sound of the distant monorail, the drip of water from a broken pipe—everything ceased. The world was frozen in a monochrome tableau, the color drained from everything except Jack himself. The foot poised to kick him hung motionless in the air.
Then, a voice resonated, not in his ears, but within the very core of his being. It was neutral, vast, and utterly devoid of emotion.
[Congratulations, Host. After 17 years of latent compatibility, you have successfully awakened the Gacha System.]
A brilliant, ornate interface materialized before him. It was a massive, golden wheel, intricately carved with symbols of beasts, elements, and arcane sigils he couldn't comprehend. At its center, in glowing, azure text, was a message.
[New User Bonus Granted.]
[Gacha Spins Available: 2.]
[Would you like to use them?]
[Y / N]
Power. This was power. The answer was not a thought, but a primal scream from his soul. Yes.
The moment his will accepted, the great wheel began to spin, its light flooding the frozen alley. Symbols blurred into a stream of radiant energy. It slowed, clicking past majestic icons before finally settling on a symbol of a snarling wolf's head.
[Spin 1 of 2: Complete.]
[Reward: D-Rank Active Skill - Wolf Fang Fist.]
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<< SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT >>
SKILL ACQUIRED
Designation: Wolf Fang Fist
Rank:D
Classification:Martial-Type / Transformation
Description: The user channels bestial energy into their hands, temporarily transforming them for close-quarters combat.
Effect:
· Physiologically alters the user's hands into lupine claws, enhancing sharpness and durability.
· Grants a temporary bonus of +3 to the Strength stat.
· Duration: 5 minutes.
· Cooldown: 30 minutes after duration expires.
Note: A foundational skill for a beast-combatant build.
---
A surge of heat flooded Jack's arms, concentrating in his hands. He watched, awestruck, as his fingernails darkened, lengthened, and sharpened into black, obsidian-like claws. The bones in his hands cracked and reshaped, his knuckles becoming thicker, covered in a fine layer of tough, grey fur. Power, raw and untamed, coursed through him. It was more strength than he had ever felt in his entire life.
The wheel began to spin again, its second rotation filled with even greater anticipation. It slowed, passing by glowing treasures before landing on a icon that burned with a furious crimson light.
[Spin 2 of 2: Complete.]
[Reward: C-Rank Passive Skill - Berserker's Rage.]
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<< SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT >>
SKILL ACQUIRED
Designation: Berserker's Rage
Rank:C
Classification:Physiological-Type / Auto-Activation
Description: An innate survival mechanism that triggers a controlled metabolic override in life-threatening situations.
Effect:
· Auto-Activation: Triggers automatically when the host's health falls below 20% or perceives a direct, mortal threat.
· Instantaneous Regeneration: Immediately restores 20% of the host's maximum HP.
· Stat Surge: Temporarily increases all physical stats (Strength, Agility, Endurance) by +5.
· Duration: 3 minutes.
· Aftermath: Upon expiration, the host will lose consciousness due to extreme system shock and accumulated fatigue.
Warning: A double-edged sword. Use the borrowed power to end the conflict before the timer runs out.
---
The system's neutral voice cut through his astonishment.
[Condition Met: Host HP below 20%. Mortal threat detected.]
[Skill: Berserker's Rage - Auto-Activating.]
It was like a bomb detonated inside him.
The pain from his wounds vanished, replaced by a searing, exhilarating fire that burned through his veins. His muscles swelled, tearing the seams of his threadbare jacket. The +5 to all stats, combined with the +3 from Wolf Fang Fist, made him feel like a god. The world snapped back into color and motion, but now it moved in slow motion.
The bully's foot, which had been frozen mid-kick, was now moving towards him again. Jack's clawed hand shot up and caught the ankle. The boy's eyes widened in shock and terror.
With a roar that was more beast than boy, Jack twisted and flung the larger teenager across the alley like a ragdoll. Marcus crashed into a stack of plastic crates with a sickening crunch.
The other two boys holding Liam released him, their bravado evaporating. "W-What are you?" one stammered.
Jack didn't answer with words. He answered with motion. A blur of fury and claws, he was upon them. He didn't kill them—the last shred of his humanity held him back—but he broke bones. He shattered their confidence. He gave them memories of pain that would haunt them forever.
In less than a minute, it was over. The bullies lay moaning on the ground, or were fleeing down the alley, clutching broken arms.
The fire in Jack's veins sputtered and died. The immense power drained away in an instant, leaving a void of absolute exhaustion. The world swam, the edges of his vision darkening. He saw Liam, safe and unharmed, looking at him not with fear, but with awe.
"Jack… your hands…"
Jack tried to smile, to reassure him, but his body had given its all. The system's warning had been clear.
[Berserker's Rage Duration: Expired.]
[Initiating System Shutdown...]
His legs gave way. As he crumpled to the ground, the last thing he saw was his brother's frightened face rushing towards him, and the golden interface of the Gacha System flickering reassuringly before it, too, faded to black.
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(End of Episode 1)