The rain poured down like a deluge, washing the grime off the asphalt and mixing with the warm, sticky blood flowing from my right side. I collapsed onto the dirty ground, the world around me narrowing to a throbbing pain, the cold of wet clothes, and the realization of my own deafening failure. I didn't turn out to be a hero. I knew, I wanted to help, I almost made it... but the robber's knife was faster than my resolve. Uncle Ben would die... probably? Peter would suffer. And I... it seemed I wouldn't last long either.
My consciousness began to drift away, clutching at reality more weakly. Darkness was approaching, not only from the outside in this filthy alleyway but also from within. Well, since the finale was so close, I should at least see myself off with a pathos worthy of a transmigrator.
Somewhere in the depths of my memory, a quote surfaced, saturated with the tragedy and ice of Northrend. Gathering the last of my strength, I smirked through clenched teeth and whispered: "My gaze is shrouded in darkness..."
PING!
I didn't even have time to finish Arthas's iconic phrase. A sharp, high, completely alien electronic sound hit my ears, drowning out the noise of the rain and my own thoughts. It was as if someone had pressed the "pause" button on a cheap player.
Immediately, a blue text window flashed before my eyes:
[System Activation...]
I froze. A second ago, I was preparing to meet my ancestors, and now an interface like something from a video game was before me. Near-death hallucinations? Original.
PING!
[Identity Identification Protocol: Launching.]
Then something utterly strange happened. The world stood still. The rain stopped falling—drops hung in the air like shimmering crystals. Sounds vanished, leaving behind a vacuum-like silence. Blood stopped flowing from the wound. The pain... it didn't disappear completely, but it receded into the background, becoming white noise rather than all-consuming agony. My mind, muddy and fading, suddenly cleared, becoming sharp and focused. I was able to prop myself up on my elbows, looking around at the frozen world with a sense of surrealism.
PING!
[Identity Confirmed: John Smith.]
"John Smith," I repeated mentally. "Well, yes, that's me. And who are you, if I may ask?"
PING!
[Compatibility Level: 99.9%]
"Almost 100% compatibility? With what? With this... thing?" Questions arose naturally, but there were no answers. My heart, instead of panicking as a normal person should in such a situation, skipped a beat with a strange, ironic recognition.
PING!
[Loading Main Shell...]
"Right," I thought with a crooked smile. "Finally. I thought I'd been shortchanged. Every self-respecting transmigrator in fanfiction gets their System, their golden finger, their personal piano in the bushes. And what about me? An orphan, an inherited house, and a couple of superhero friends on the horizon? Not right. And here we go. The long-awaited cheat. Granted, the timing... perfect. Just as ordered—in a puddle of blood, with a fatal wound in the side. A classic of the genre."
A complex hologram unfolded before my eyes. Blue-and-white lines wove and unwove, forming windows, icons, and obscure symbols. Lines of code, diagrams, and progress bars flickered. All of this floated in the air, semi-transparent but quite real to my perception. Beautiful, technological. And completely out of place.
The final chord of the download:
[GACHA SYSTEM INITIALIZED.]
"Gacha"? Seriously? What the hell, "Gacha"? My irony wavered slightly. This name brought back some vague, silly associations from my past life related to internet memes and over-buffed men. A system for dominating the universe with such a name? This was either very subtle trolling from higher powers, or the creator of the system had a specific sense of humor. Fine, let's assume so. It's not for me to complain about the name of a free cheat.
Immediately, the interface changed to a text block, and a steady, synthesized voice, devoid of any emotion, sounded in my head:
[Welcome, User. You are greeted by the Gacha System.]
"Hi there," I replied mentally. "Nice to meet you. Want some coffee? Oh, wait, sorry, I'm a bit busy here... bleeding out."
[The goal of the system is to help you dominate the universe.]
"Dominate? An excellent goal. Especially relevant when you're lying in a dirty alley with a hole in your side. But ambitious, I won't deny it. Noted."
[Every day you will receive 1 Gacha Point (GP). As a gift for a beginner, you are provided with 1 Gacha Point (GP).]
"One point a day. Plus a one-time offer of 1 GP for beginners. Not much. But it's something. Hoarding is everything."
[Additionally, once a month you can exchange $1000 in real currency for 10 Gacha Points (GP).]
"Now that's more interesting. And harder. A thousand dollars a month for ten additional 'rolls'? Where am I, an orphan, supposed to get that kind of money? I'll have to find a more serious way to earn than winning in an underground ring. System, you're not just a cheat; you're also a work motivator? Clever. Well... of course, I have some money for a rainy day, though when will there ever be a day rainier than today?"
[For gacha points, you can launch the wheel of draws.]
[There are two types of draws. General and Marvel.]
[In General draws, you can get cards from anywhere—comics, movies, anime...]
[In Marvel, cards are only from the Marvel universe.]
"Standard gacha mechanics. General pool—a lottery with an unpredictable result, you can pull anything from useless junk to something incredible from another franchise. Marvel pool—more predictable, and perhaps more useful here and now. Logical."
[A card can contain items, character templates, or abilities. Cards are also divided by rarity level—Common, Rare, Epic, Legendary, Divine...]
"Items, templates, abilities. The gentleman's set for any 'system' transmigrator. I look forward to it."
[You can perform a Draw for 1 card or 10 cards.]
[When drawing 10 cards, there is a high chance of obtaining a good card.]
"Ten rolls with an increased chance. A classic. Thanks, Cap."
[Abilities or items obtained from cards can be transferred to other people or used by yourself.]
"Oh, that's useful. I could slip Peter or Gwen something helpful. Though, why would Parker need my measly abilities?"
[Character Templates—you can summon them into your world or assimilate them, gaining their abilities in the process.]
"Summoning or assimilation... Tempting. Become someone like Superman or Jiren? Or summon them here? Sounds like a plan. Though, summoning Jiren to New York... might be problematic."
[Important: Summoned characters are real and will be loyal to you as the Summoner. However, they retain their personality, morals, and principles. They will not blindly follow orders that conflict with their beliefs, but they will not betray you.]
"Loyal, but not slaves. Retain personality and morals... That's good. It's right. I wouldn't want to command soulless puppets. But it will add difficulties. Convincing Batman to work with me? Or persuading Tony Stark to share technologies? Not an easy task. I wonder what happens if two Tony Starks meet... But the fact that they won't betray me is already a big plus."
[From this moment, the Gacha System enters autonomous mode. My job as a guide for beginners is finished. Good luck.]
The voice went silent; the text vanished. The interface collapsed into the now-familiar "G" icon in the corner of my vision.
And the world came alive again. Time flowed. Raindrops crashed down on me with renewed force. The city noise returned. The pain in my side flared up with its former intensity, tearing a groan from my chest. Blood flowed again, staining my wet clothes crimson.
Okay, fine. There's a system. That's a fact. Whether it's a hallucination or not—we'll figure that out later, if there is a "later." What do we have? One Gacha point and one free draw in each category.
I mentally focused on the system icon. "Status," I thought.
The interface obediently unfolded, showing the first page:
[Page 1/3]
John Smith
Race: Human
Character Assimilation
Full Assimilation: [Empty]
In Progress: [Empty] [Empty]
Summoned Characters: None
Abilities: None
Equipped Items: None
Empty. Absolutely empty. No hidden talents, no innate superpowers. Just a human. A heavily wounded human. Well, not much.
A mental swipe to the right. The second page opened.
[Page 2/3]
CARD DRAW
Select Draw Type:
[ General ][ Marvel ]
Available Gacha Points (GP): 1
Monthly Exchange ($1000 = 10 GP): Available
Draw Options:
<-------------------------------------->
| [ Summon x1 ] |
| Cost: 1 GP / 1 |
| Free: [ Available (1) ] |
<-------------------------------------->
<-------------------------------------->
| [ Summon x10 ] |
| Cost: 10 GP |
| Increased Chance! |
<-------------------------------------->
The interface was laconic. At the top was the toggle between "General" and "Marvel" pools. "General" was currently selected. Below was the number of my GP and a reminder about the donation option. And two large buttons: "Summon x1" and "Summon x10." Under the x1 button, the cost was indicated as 1 GP, and next to it was a note that I had one free summon in this category. If I switched to "Marvel," the same would obviously be there.
Mental swipe one more time.
[Page 3/3]
UNUSED CARDS LIST
[ Empty ]
Logical. I haven't won anything yet.
So, I have two free chances. One from the General pool, one from the Marvel pool. What could drop? A healing serum? Regeneration? Iron Man armor? Or a teddy bear and a discount coupon for a comic book store? Gacha is always a risk.
Pain reminded me of itself again with a sharp sting. Blood continued to flow. There was no time for deliberation. I had to act.
"Alright, System," I thought, looking at the "Summon x1" button under the "General" tab. "You showed up late, but with style. Let's see what you're actually worth. Don't let me down, or there won't be anyone left to 'dominate the universe.'"
I mentally pressed the free draw button.
So, the choice was made. A free draw from the General pool. There was nothing to lose but my own life, which was already draining away with every second. I mentally focused on the glowing "[ Summon x1 ]" button under the "General" tab and activated the free attempt.
The interface responded immediately. The screen rippled, and then a spinning wheel of fortune appeared in the center, divided into many sectors. The sectors flashed so fast that it was impossible to make out the images on them—there were symbols, faces, objects, flashes of light and darkness. The sound of the rotating drum, the clicks, and the anticipatory chime—just like in a real casino or game show. The situation was so absurd that I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
The wheel began to slow down. Sectors drifted by slower and slower. A sword... some strangely shaped fruit... a mask... a book... a familiar bat symbol... a gun... And finally, the wheel stopped; the pointer froze on one of the sectors. The image inside it enlarged, turning into a full-fledged card that flew out of the interface and hung right in front of me.
The card depicted... an ordinary spray can. A white-and-green metal can with a red cross and English lettering. After all this fuss with the System, stopping time, and talk of domination, getting a regular spray seemed a bit... anti-climactic.
But then detailed information appeared under the card, and I realized that luck had smiled upon me after all.
CARD OBTAINED!
Name: First Aid Kit (Spray)
Type: Item (Consumable)
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Resident Evil Universe (Video Game Series)
Description: A standard medical aerosol spray, originally developed by the Umbrella Corporation for field use. Contains a potent blend of coagulants, analgesics, and tissue regeneration stimulants. Instantly seals wounds, stops bleeding, and completely restores the user's vitality to optimal condition. Effective for light and medium damage. Single use.
Note: "Might just save your life. But better not ask what's inside."
Completely restores vitality. Not just plugging a hole, but returning to normal. It was exactly what the doctor ordered. Or, in this case, the Gacha System. The irony with "Umbrella" wasn't lost on me, but right now survival was the priority.
"Alright, System, first round goes to you," I thought, feeling a surge of hope. "Let's see how your wonder-drug works."
I had to act immediately. I mentally focused on the first aid kit card. "Use."
The card flashed and disappeared. A cold metal canister materialized in my left hand. Without hesitation, I took my right hand away from the wound—the sight was still gruesome—and directed the spray directly into the damaged area.
Hissing. Icy cold. Numbness that instantly quenched the pain. I saw the edges of the wound tighten with incredible speed, the wound itself disappearing, leaving behind only clean, undamaged skin without a single scar. Simultaneously, a wave of heat and energy passed through my entire body. Weakness, dizziness, cold—everything vanished without a trace. I felt as if there had been no attack, no knife, no blood loss. I was perfectly fine. Absolutely healthy.
I slowly rose to my feet. No weakness, no pain. I moved my right side—no unpleasant sensations. It was as if the film had been rewound a couple of minutes, before the attack. Incredible.
I mentally called up the status window again to see if anything had changed in the displayed information.
[Page 1/3]
John Smith
Race: Human
Character Assimilation
Full Assimilation: [Empty]
In Progress: [Empty] [Empty]
Summoned Characters: None
Abilities: None
Equipped Items: None
As expected, no changes in the displayed fields. The System didn't keep track of my health. But I knew without it—I was perfectly fine. The Inventory-List (Page 3/3) was also empty; the spray card had disappeared.
So, I'm safe and sound. Miraculously healed thanks to a spray from a video game. The situation was still wild, but the immediate threat to my life had passed. However, I couldn't relax. The robber was gone. He was real. And Uncle Ben was still in danger. How much time had I lost? A minute? Five?
I still had one free draw left—the gift for beginners. This time, I think it's worth pulling "Marvel." Just healing isn't enough. In this world, to change something, to protect someone, something more is needed. Superpowers are needed. Skills. Knowledge.
"Okay, System," I decided. "You helped me out once. Let's see what my home universe offers. I need something... useful. Something that will help me not just react, but act proactively."
I mentally switched the draw tab from "General" to "Marvel." The interface slightly changed its color scheme, and familiar symbols flashed in the background—a spider, S.H.I.E.L.D., the Stark Industries logo... I focused on the "[ Summon x1 ] (Free: Available (1))" button again.
"Come on, Marvel, don't let me down."
Mental press. The wheel of fortune spun again, but this time the sectors were filled with symbols and images from this universe. Captain America's shield, Thor's hammer, Iron Man's repulsor, the S.H.I.E.L.D. symbol, mutants, the Oscorp logo... The wheel slowed down. Venom symbol... green flask... Wolverine's claws... And stop.
A new card materialized before me. It wasn't just a symbol, but a stylized portrait of a man in a business suit, with neat hair and a calm, confident gaze. In the background, the S.H.I.E.L.D. emblem could be seen.
CARD OBTAINED!
Name: Phil Coulson (Agent Template)
Type: Character Template (Assimilation/Summon)
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Marvel Universe (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)
Description: Provides the core skills, tactical knowledge, and essential experience of Phil Coulson, a high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agent (equivalent to Clearance Level 6-7, pre-Avengers period). Includes:
High proficiency in standard S.H.I.E.L.D. sidearms and tactical use of other weaponry.
Deep knowledge of S.H.I.E.L.D. protocols, history, and structure.
Advanced espionage methods: undercover fieldwork, interrogation, intelligence analysis, counterintelligence.
Effective hand-to-hand combat skills oriented toward neutralizing opponents.
Tactical analysis and strategic operation planning.
Outstanding composure and the ability to stay calm in stressful situations.
Extensive (though not comprehensive) knowledge of known superhuman incidents, artifacts, and individuals up to 2008-2009.
Note: Assimilation instantly integrates knowledge and skills into the user's mind and muscle memory according to the assimilation percentage. Does not provide access to Coulson's specific non-professional memories, personal connections, official status in S.H.I.E.L.D., or equipment. Full assimilation (100%) ensures maximum potential of the template.
Phil Coulson. A legend of S.H.I.E.L.D. A man who had seen things that would make ordinary people's hair stand on end, yet managed to maintain his signature calm and light irony. To get his template... it was incredible luck. Not brute force, not superpowers, but experience, knowledge, tactics, and nerves of steel. Exactly what's needed for survival and, perhaps, for influencing events in this crazy world.
"Assimilate," the command sounded clearly in my head.
Phil Coulson's card flared up and dissolved into the interface. In the next second, I felt a familiar but more powerful and structured mental impact. Information poured in—not chaotically, but organized. Tactical moves, security protocols, behavioral analysis, knowledge of weapon systems, the structure of S.H.I.E.L.D., dossiers on certain famous individuals (Stark, Banner—at least until his disappearance)... And most importantly—a wave of calm. Not indifference, but professional composure, a habit of analyzing the situation before acting, the ability to filter out panic and focus on the task.
I felt my posture change, my gaze involuntarily starting to scan the surroundings more methodically, assessing threats and opportunities. It was a strange feeling—remaining myself but feeling the presence of another's experience inside, another personality that didn't suppress mine but rather complemented and guided it.
I called the status window again to see the result of the assimilation.
[Page 1/3]
John Smith
Race: Human
Character Assimilation
Full Assimilation: [Empty]
In Progress: [Phil Coulson (S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Template)] - 10% [Empty]
Summoned Characters: None
Abilities: None
Equipped Items: None
Ten percent. This meant I had only received a small portion of Coulson's full potential. Not all of his skills and knowledge were available to me immediately. But even these ten percent felt like a huge leap forward. The System didn't give me a fish or a rod, but rather detailed instructions for making a rod and basic fisherman skills. The rest is practice, development, and likely further interaction with the System to increase the assimilation percentage. How exactly to increase the percentage is not yet clear, but that's a question for the future.
It was also important that the "Abilities" section remained empty. It seemed the system clearly separated skills gained from template assimilation and abilities, which could apparently be pulled as separate cards. This meant the path to gaining true superpowers still lay through gacha luck.