Cloudy skies blanketed the city. Raindrops fell, tapping on the rooftops of old row shops lined up along the narrow street. In a rarely noticed corner of the city, in a small apartment room on the fourth floor, a young man sat in silence, staring at the cracked screen of his phone, the damage spreading from the lower left.
His name was Takuya Minami, 17 years old, a senior high school student. His grades were average. He didn't have many friends. He had only one hobby: playing gacha games.
"Come on, just give me one SSR character," Takuya muttered.
He clicked his tongue in frustration, having spent nearly 15,000 yen on the current gacha event without getting the new character he wanted.
This was his last possible pull. "Please! Just give me beautiful Nagumi," he mumbled, closing his eyes and praying.
Takuya's heart pounded faster. He didn't want to open his eyes. But at the same time, he had to. He desperately hoped to get the character named Nagumi.
"Please! Just this once is enough."
Takuya opened his eyes. There was no golden glow from his gacha result this time. The 15,000 yen he had spent was gone, wasted.
The beautiful elf character wielding a sword and a hot body wasn't obtained. Even though he had used up 90% of his money.
Takuya placed his phone on the table. "Am I really cursed by the Gacha God?" he complained.
He stood up and walked toward the door. He stood there for a while. Until finally—
BAAM!
Takuya punched his apartment door with all his strength. He winced, his right hand trembling.
"Damn it!" he shouted loudly.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing, idiot?! If you don't like me, come here and say it to my face!" shouted someone from the apartment next door.
Takuya ignored it. He stepped back slowly and collapsed onto his bed. Staring at the grimy ceiling of his apartment.
He had chosen this shabby place to save on living expenses. Of course, the rest of his money would go to gacha.
"Damn it. Damn it. Damn it."
Takuya was furious. This time, it wasn't just his living money he used, but also the money meant for books and tutoring.
But the result was trash.
Takuya closed his eyes, holding his swollen right hand from punching the door.
"Get out here, bastard!" yelled the same man from earlier.
The same guy who had shouted at Takuya moments ago. The two weren't on friendly terms.
Takuya ignored him. He sat up and grabbed his phone again. He stared at the game screen. His mood was still terrible.
"Stupid game," he complained.
He held down on the game's icon. Then the word 'uninstall' appeared. Takuya wanted to press it, but hesitated.
"I should've never played that stupid game in the first place," he muttered.
As Takuya placed his phone down again, suddenly something happened. A bright light appeared from the floor.
Takuya panicked, immediately standing up and trying to run, but it was too late.
A few seconds later, the light vanished, but the floor beneath his feet… changed.
Takuya looked up, and when he gazed forward, his eyes widened. He saw something completely different.
"Where… is this?"
At the same moment, a screen appeared in front of his face. A screen like in a game.
[GACHA SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
[WELCOME, HERO!]
Tap...
Takuya froze, stunned. He had no idea what was really happening.