Chapter 5 : Lucky Breaks and Useful Toys
[Fourth draw in progress…]
The light this time was different — darker, with a faint green tinge, almost as if the system itself was winking at me with mischief. The energy whirled faster, pulling at the edges of my vision like it wanted to make me dizzy.
A chime rang out — deeper, more resonant than the previous ones. The text appeared:
[Template Acquired: Leech (Earth‑58163)]
I blinked. "Leech?… Wait a second…"
A tooltip slid into view:
[Template Summary: Leech — Mutant. Ability to nullify the powers of nearby superhumans. High strategic value in combat, particularly against powered opponents. Limited offensive capabilities.]
Recognition hit me. "Oh… I know this guy! He's that kid from X‑Men: The Last Stand! The one who cancels mutant powers."
Then my eyes caught the world tag: Earth‑58163.
"House of M… right. That explains a lot. So this isn't just some random mutant — it's that Leech. The one from the world where mutants ran everything."
I stared at the text for a moment, the implications sinking in. "Okay, that's… actually useful. Not flashy, not destructive, but strategic."
I could almost feel the gears in my brain turning. Nullifying superhuman abilities in a world like this? That could save my life… or at least keep me from becoming a human pin cushion.
"Of course," I muttered, "it comes with zero offensive capabilities. Because why fight when you can just ruin everyone else's fun?"
Still, I couldn't help but grin. This wasn't a gimmick — this was a real pull.
[Template stored: Pending Assimilation.]
[Remaining pulls: 6]
"Alright, Gacha," I said under my breath. "Now we're talking. Let's see if you can keep up the streak."
[Fifth draw in progress…]
The light twisted into sleek metallic hues — silver, neon blue, and hints of magenta — like something straight out of a cyberpunk dream. It swirled faster, humming with a confident, almost cocky energy.
A sharp chime rang out, and the result appeared:
[Item Acquired: Arasaka CyberDeck]
I froze. "Wait… that's from Cyberpunk 2077, isn't it? No way."
The corporate logo glowed faintly on the holographic display — unmistakably Arasaka. "Holy crap. I know that world. The corporate dystopia, chrome arms, people hacking their own souls. You're telling me I've got one of their decks?"
A tooltip unfolded below:
[Item Description: Arasaka CyberDeck — Ultra‑high‑performance laptop from the world of Cyberpunk 2077. Always charged, equipped with cutting‑edge software, capable of interfacing with any computer system, network, or digital environment.]
I blinked. Then blinked again. "Wait… this is actually insane."
Finally — something that fit perfectly with my Advanced Computer Skills. I could see it now: sneaking into systems, bypassing firewalls, downloading information before anyone even realized I existed.
I rubbed my hands together, grinning. "Alright, System — this is what I'm talking about. Forget the participation trophy; this one's a game‑changer."
[Item stored in Inventory.]
[Remaining pulls: 5]
A shiver of excitement ran down my spine. "Okay… things are starting to get interesting."
[Sixth draw in progress…]
The holographic lights swirled more subtly this time — calmer, less dramatic. No golden glimmer, no neon flash. Almost as if the system was sighing, handing me a quiet gift that said, "Don't get too excited."
A soft chime sounded, and the result appeared:
[Ability Acquired: Photographic Memory]
I squinted. "Photographic… memory? Huh. Well, that's… actually useful, I guess."
A tooltip popped up:
[Ability Description: Photographic Memory — Perfect recall of anything seen or read. Ideal for technical study, code analysis, and retaining complex multiversal data.]
I crossed my arms, exhaling slowly. "So… no explosions, no lasers, just me remembering everything I've ever seen. Riveting."
Still, I had to admit — paired with my other skills, it was a power move. The kind of quiet advantage that wins wars before they start.
I rubbed my temples and gave a half‑smile. "Alright, System. Not amazing, not useless. Just… practical. The adult part of me approves. The teenager part's bored."
[Ability stored.]
[Remaining pulls: 4]
I leaned back, the faint hum of the interface filling the room.
"Okay," I murmured. "Not bad. Let's see if the next one actually makes me feel like a hero… or just continues this cosmic joke."