In a small village in the northern part of the continent, a boy around thirteen or fourteen was practicing his sword swings with a blade far too large for his frame. Judging by the sweat soaking his hair, he'd been at it for quite some time, yet showed no signs of stopping.
The boy was slender, fair-skinned, with long, light blue hair that draped down to his waist. His eyes were bright and alert, and his face carried a seriousness uncommon for someone his age.
That boy was our protagonist—Haruki.
Haruki had been in this world for thirteen years. In that time, he had come to fully understand the nature of the world around him, though the truth left him at a loss for words. He had indeed arrived in the world of the anime Akame ga Kill, but not during the timeline of the anime's story. Instead, he had landed in an earlier era—before the founding of the mighty Empire that would span a thousand years in the original tale.
Now, the continent was engulfed in endless war. Even the remote northern village where Haruki lived couldn't escape the chaos.
When he was five, his father was conscripted and never returned. After receiving the news, Haruki's mother, already frail, fell into grief and wept day after day. It wasn't long before she too passed away.
It was at the moment of his mother's death, overwhelmed by grief, that the System—something Haruki had long given up on—finally awakened.
When Haruki was born, he hadn't sensed any sign of the mysterious voice or system he had expected. He thought it would activate soon after birth, but five years went by without a trace.
Eventually, he asked the System why it took so long to appear.
The System explained that his mental strength had not met the minimum threshold for activation. Only after experiencing extreme emotional pain did his spiritual energy surge high enough to awaken it.
According to the System, it had three main functions: [Exchange], [Transmigration], and [Lottery].
The [Exchange] function allowed him to trade for various items—bloodlines, weapons, techniques—just about anything imaginable. Naturally, it required exchange points.
The [Transmigration] function allowed him to travel to other worlds after reaching the peak of this one, which required transmigration points.
The [Lottery] function granted random rewards from the exchange system upon completing system-issued tasks. Of course, it all came down to luck—you could win something incredible or end up with useless junk.
Since this was Haruki's first transmigration, the System gifted him a [Newbie Gift Pack], which included 10,000 exchange points, one lottery chance, and a bottle of [Body Enhancement Liquid].
"Enhancement Liquid? What does it do?" Haruki asked.
"After using the enhancement liquid, the host will expel impurities from the body, significantly boosting physical attributes like speed and strength. Most importantly, it improves martial arts aptitude," the System replied.
"That's amazing—let's use it now!"
As soon as he spoke, a test tube filled with pale blue liquid appeared in his hand. Without hesitation, Haruki drank it.
What followed was a searing pain that struck straight to his soul. He was, after all, just a five-year-old child at the time. After enduring it for a while, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.
When he came to, he found himself drenched in sweat, reeking of filth, and covered in a layer of black grime. But what thrilled him was the obvious improvement in his body—his strength and speed had increased at least four- or fivefold.
After the initial excitement wore off, Haruki calmed down. Despite his newfound physical power, he was still just a child. In this era of constant war, where human life was worth less than dirt, even a couple of adults could easily end his life—never mind the fearsome Danger Beasts.
Right now, the most important thing was getting stronger. Only strength could protect him.
As that thought crossed his mind, an idea suddenly struck him.
"Wait... don't I still have a lottery chance?"
Haruki slapped his forehead and muttered to himself.