Chapter 6: Found a Sparkly Rock and Now My Life's a Gacha Game
Elias couldn't believe what he was seeing.
He looked around, half-expecting someone to jump out and shout "Gotcha!" Surely this kind of thing only happened in anime or light novels, not real life. Had he unknowingly hit his head when he fell?
The translucent screen in front of him finally finished buffering, and a panel of glowing text appeared:
---
Host: Elias Graves
Status: Healthy
Age: 16
Lifespan Remaining: 217 years
Race: Human / High Human Hybrid
Title(s):
(GOD) Child of Fortuna
(MYTH) Bringer of Disaster
Awakener Tier: Unranked (UR) (Host is not yet an awakener)
---
Stats
(Average for adult human male is 10 except HP, MP, and Energy)
HP: 90/90
MP: 100/100
ENG: N/A (Host is not yet an awakener)
STR: 7
DEF: 8
AGI: 11
END: 8
INT: 10
WIS: 13
VIT: 9
WIL: 14
DEX: 7
PER: 11
CHA: 6
CHM: 14
SOUL: 10
LUK: 3,567,893,450
Unallocated Stats: 0
---
Traits
(GOD) Child of Luck
(MYTH) Walking Disaster
Skills
(UR) Arithmetic – Lv. 2
(UR) English – Lv. 4
(UR) Piano – Lv. 1
(UR) Singing – Lv. 1
(UR) Physics – Lv. 1
(UR) Biology – Lv. 1
(UR) Cleaning – Lv. 1
Current Quests: None
Lucky Points (LP): 0
---
Items
1x (UR) Lucky Draw Coupon
1x (IRN) Lucky Draw Coupon
1x (BRZ) Lucky Draw Coupon
1x (SLV) Lucky Draw Coupon
1x (GLD) Lucky Draw Coupon
---
[Available Quests]
[Lucky Draws]
---
Elias stared blankly at the floating screen. He pulled out his phone and tried to take a picture—but nothing appeared on the screen. He glanced toward the antique mirror in the corner, only to find the screen didn't show there either.
"…Is it only visible to me? Or am I hallucinating?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes at the glowing interface.
Even though he wasn't a heavy gamer or avid reader of system-based novels, he understood enough to recognize some of the terminology. Still, several things on the screen left him more than a little alarmed.
What the hell is up with my Luck stat?! he screamed inwardly. Why is it so damn high?!
Then his gaze fell on the line that listed his race: Human / High Human Hybrid.
"…Hybrid?" he whispered. "Is that why my lifespan's freakishly long for a human?"
He remembered the entry in his father's journal, the one that hinted at not knowing where his mother came from.
Just what was Mom's background…?
Then came the real kick in the gut—his trait and title: Walking Disaster and Bringer of Disaster.
His eye twitched. "So it wasn't my imagination," he grumbled. "With this kind of absurd luck, I should be winning the lottery every other day, not dodging falling pianos!"
He poked the screen irritably, and to his surprise, a description box popped up:
—
Walking Disaster (MYTH):
When the host is on the verge of experiencing danger or significant harm, Luck is automatically activated to divert or mitigate the threat. This may result in the danger being redirected to others nearby or manifesting as minor misfortunes for the host to avoid major injury or death.
Note: While this effect is active, the host's Luck cannot be used for other major benefits. If the host remains in constant danger, Luck will be continuously expended to avert threats rather than to generate positive opportunities. Luck will only recover and become usable for other purposes once the host is no longer in immediate danger.
—-Elias furrowed his brows as he read. "Something isn't right," he murmured.
He tapped on his other trait.
---
Child of Luck (GOD):
The host has been blessed with extraordinary fortune. It's as if the universe has chosen to funnel all its excess luck into a single individual. As Heaven's favorite, the host will be continually blessed with opportunities, and outcomes will overwhelmingly lean in the host's favor.
---
"Does that mean my Luck is constantly being used to offset danger?" Elias muttered, a chill creeping down his spine as the realization struck. "Then… doesn't that mean my life's been in danger this whole time?"
His eyes widened as a horrifying possibility dawned on him.
"Maybe all those random disasters weren't coincidences at all. What if… they were actually attempts on my life?"
His thoughts raced, panic fluttering in his chest as he tried to make sense of it. Who would want him dead? And why?
Then a memory surfaced—his father's journal, and the name written in its pages.
The Crimson Pact.
Could it be them?
Elias didn't want to consider it. He had already uncovered an overwhelming amount of information today. Realizing that his life might have been in danger all along was the final straw—it made everything crash down on him at once.
"Calm down!" Elias shouted, smacking his cheeks in an attempt to ground himself. "I'm freaking out over something I'm not even completely sure of yet. Let's just focus on figuring out this system."
He turned his attention back to the translucent screen, trying to regain his composure.
Noticing the abbreviations in brackets next to his titles and traits, he decided to click on one.
—---
[MYTH] — Stands for Mythic Tier.
All quests, items, awakened levels, skills, titles, traits, and lucky draws are ranked from weakest and most common to strongest and most rare:
Unranked, Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Epic, Legendary, Mythic, and God.
—--
"Wow, so both my titles and traits are pretty top tier," Elias muttered in amazement, eyes scanning the screen.
"Actually... is there a difference between titles and traits? They seem kind of similar." He tapped on the title Child of Fortuna for more details.
---
Title: Child of Fortuna [GOD]
You are one favored by fortune herself.
Passive Effect – Fated Insight: The host has a 50% higher chance of entering an enlightenment state when learning new skills, compared to the average person.
Active Effect – Hand of Fortune: Once per month, the host may activate this ability to trigger an opportunity to directly obtain something they urgently need. (Does not guarantee instant success; the opportunity will present itself.)
---
"So there is a difference," Elias said, rubbing his chin.
"Enlightenment state? Is that like in cultivation novels? Does that mean I'll randomly unlock secret techniques while staring at a rock or something?" He chuckled to himself before clicking on his next title.
---
Title: Bringer of Disaster [MYTH]
Wherever you go, misfortune follows—but rarely for you.
Passive Effect – Chaotic Pressure: The longer the host avoids harm or death, the more unnerved their enemies become. Opponents are more likely to make mistakes or act irrationally when facing the host.
Active Effect – Misfortune Mark: Once per month, the host may target a specific individual, reducing their Luck stat by 50% for 3 days.
—----
"Wow… if what I suspect is true, then these traits and titles have probably been saving my butt this whole time," Elias said with a sheepish grin. "I take it back—being a walking disaster isn't so bad if it's what's kept me alive."
His eyes drifted down to the glowing buttons labeled [Available Quests] and [Lucky Draws]. He pressed the Available Quests button first.
A new translucent window slid out to the left of his main panel.
---
Quest Window
Note: The host may take on quests from the system to earn Lucky Points (LP). LP can be used for Lucky Draws, and occasionally for unlocking new skills, titles, traits, stats, or items.
-Quests are ranked from Unranked to God Tier.
-Higher-ranked quests are more difficult, but offer greater LP rewards.
-The host may only accept quests up to one rank above their current Awakener Tier.
Warning: Some quests may be mandatory, part of chain missions, or hidden and will appear without prior notice. Please proceed with care.
—--
"This is starting to feel more and more like a video game," Elias muttered as he turned his attention to the mission list. He scrolled through the unranked quests and let out a snort.
"Do 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10K run—for 5 LP, 1 Strength point, and 1 Endurance point? Am I Saitama?" he scoffed.
His eyes moved down the list.
"Walk an old lady across the street for 1 LP and $15? Volunteer to pick up trash for 2 LP and receive a sturdy suitcase ? Finish my homework for 3 LPs, 2 INT points, and 1 WIS point?" Elias burst out laughing. "Whoever—or whatever—designed this system definitely has a sense of humor."
Tears of laughter welled up in his eyes as he kept reading. After scrolling through a few more quests, he decided to check out the Lucky Draws button instead.
He didn't even bother looking at the Iron-tier quests. Deep down, he knew he wasn't remotely ready for anything that risky. Even with absurd luck on his side, tempting fate with something far beyond his current abilities just seemed reckless.
—--
Lucky Draw Window
Note: The Host may use Lucky Points (LP) or Free Draw Coupons to perform Lucky Draws and win items, stats, traits, titles, or skills. There are multiple tiers of Lucky Draws, and the rewards scale according to the rank of the draw. The higher the tier, the stronger, rarer, or more valuable the rewards—but also the greater the LP cost.
Free Draw Coupons come in specific ranks and can only be used on draws of matching rank.
The highest Lucky Draw tier the Host can access is one level above the current world's power ceiling.
—---
Elias tugged at his lower lip as a thought struck him—he still had those items, didn't he?
Were they all Free Draw coupons? How did he even get them? Had they come from a starter pack or something?
"Should I try it out?" he wondered. "How do I activate it?"
He glanced down at the Unranked Coupon in his inventory. Should he just tap it?
Suddenly, a message appeared:
[The system has sensed the host's desire to use an Unranked Free Draw Coupon. Would you like to proceed?]
[Yes] [No]
Elias blinked, then smiled in surprise.
So the system could activate without him touching the screen? Could it actually read his thoughts?
He focused slightly and thought, No.
The message vanished instantly.
"Well, that's convenient," he muttered. "While I'm only, like, 80% sure no one else can see the screen, if it really is invisible to others, I'd look insane poking at thin air all the time. I'll have to test if Eve can see it later, just to be safe."
He frowned as another thought surfaced.
Should he tell Eve about their father, the Crimson Pact, and the system?
He shook his head.
No. This kind of information was dangerous—too dangerous.
Anyone who knew about it would be a target.
He didn't want to put that kind of pressure or risk on his sister.
Elias suddenly felt his phone buzzing repeatedly. When he checked the screen, he saw it was his sister calling. He quickly picked up.
"Elias, where are you?" Eve's voice came through, nervous and a little shaky. "Principal Kim was about to drop me off at the house, but she noticed all the lights were off. It's kind of creepy when no one's home. Can you get back quickly? I'll wait with the principal in her car until you get here, okay?"
"Aww, is my baby sister scared of the dark? Need big brother to hold your hand?" he teased.
"Shut up! Just hurry up and get here!" she snapped, clearly flustered.
Elias chuckled. "Sorry, I stopped by the police station for a bit. Honestly, I don't like being in the house alone either. I'll be there soon," he said—choosing to leave out a few details.
"Oh… okay. Just get back safe," she murmured more quietly before ending the call.
Elias looked around and began tidying up. He was briefly concerned about not being able to close his father's hidden drawer properly—but to his relief, it resealed itself the moment he shut it.
"Once I find Mom and Dad, I'm definitely making Dad teach me how to do that," Elias muttered, clenching his fists with determination.
---
Elsewhere...
In a distant place shrouded in gloom, a man sat in a dark prison cell, shackled by cuffs that radiated powerful demonic energy. He had a youthful, handsome face and dark hair. If Elias had seen him, he would have immediately noticed the uncanny resemblance—this man looked just like his father in his twenties.
The man had been resting with his eyes closed when, all at once, he bolted upright. His eyes snapped open, sharp and alert.
"Inconceivable," he whispered.
"Are you alright, Harold?" a gentle voice asked from the cell beside him. Through the shadows, a pair of striking gray-blue eyes peered through the bars.
A woman with long, wavy, sand-colored hair sat in the neighboring cell. Like the man, she wore a set of matching enchanted cuffs.
Harold composed himself and offered a faint smile. "It's nothing, my dear. A passing sensation—likely a trick of the mind."
But his gaze flickered with unease in the darkness.
There's no possible way that artifact was discovered.