CHAPTER 32: GACHA IS A CRUEL MISTRESS

The System interface exploded in a garish display of light and color, bathing my bedroom in a private light show only I could see. Golden trumpets blared silently in my mind as a slot machine animation materialized before me, spinning wildly with impossible physics.

"What the actual fuck," I muttered, watching the digital spectacle unfold inches from my sleeping stepsister’s face.

Three cards materialized, each face-down and glowing with a rainbow shimmer that hurt my eyes. They floated and bobbed in my vision, taunting me with possibilities.

[APOLLO’S DIVINE EMPORIUM THANKS YOU FOR YOUR PATRONAGE! PULL THE LEVER, MORTAL! LET FATE DECIDE YOUR GLORY!]

I glanced down at Natalia, still blissfully unaware of the cosmic casino operating above her head. She mumbled something in her sleep, nuzzling closer into my chest.

"This better be worth one hundred and fifty fucking points," I growled under my breath, mentally reaching for the first card.

It flipped with dramatic slowness, spinning three times in midair. The back revealed an ornate design featuring Apollo’s smirking face, which I already wanted to punch. The card completed its final rotation and landed...

On dull, tarnished bronze.

[Congratulations! You have obtained: IMMORTAL SNAIL (Familiar - Bronze Tier). An immortal snail. It is immortal. It is also a snail.]

My eye twitched violently.

A fucking snail?

A small icon appeared in my inventory display: a cartoonish snail with a gleaming golden shell. It winked at me. A snail. Winked at me.

"Nel," I whispered harshly, "explain this bullshit."

[All familiars require formal summoning after acquisition. Even the... less impressive ones. Your new companion is immortal, which is quite rare. Consider the tactical applications.]

Tactical applications? It’s a SNAIL!

[The second card awaits your selection, Host. Perhaps your fortune will improve?]

Fifty points per card. I took a deep breath. I’d already wasted a third of my investment on a creature that would lose a race to drying paint. The second card had to be better.

I mentally flipped it, watching it spin with far less enthusiasm now.

It landed with a thud in my vision. Bronze. Again.

[Congratulations! You have obtained: DURABLE BASEBALL BAT (Item - Bronze Tier). An extremely durable baseball bat. Will likely survive a direct nuclear blast. Still a baseball bat.]

A simple wooden baseball bat appeared in my inventory display. It looked completely ordinary except for a faint golden shimmer around its edges.

One hundred Schema Points. One hundred. For a snail and a bat.

[Is something wrong, Host? You seem... displeased with Apollo’s generosity.]

"Generosity?" I finally managed, my voice a strangled whisper. "I could have bought attribute points with that. I could have been stronger, faster. But instead, I have a bat and a snail." I squeezed my eyes shut, counting backwards from ten. "This is a fucking scam."

[The final card remains. As promised, one Gold-tier or higher reward is guaranteed. Perhaps you should proceed?]

I looked down at Natalia, still sleeping peacefully against me. Her purple hair spilled across my chest, her breathing slow and even. I leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Bring me some luck, princess."

In her sleep, Natalia let out a soft "Mmm..." and shifted position, her knee rubbing directly against my morning wood. A jolt of pure, agonizing pleasure shot through me, and I bit back a groan.

"Fuck," I hissed through clenched teeth, trying to ignore the throbbing need between my legs. Focus, Kaelen. Focus.

I flipped the last card, bracing for disappointment.

The card spun once, twice, three times. Then it exploded in a shower of brilliant, blinding gold, illuminating my vision with such intensity that I had to squint.

[Congratulations! You have obtained: MYSTICISM (Passive Ability - Gold Tier). Your energy reserves and recovery speeds are far beyond the norm, allowing for prolonged use of abilities and spells. A passive miracle for the relentless performer.]

I blinked as information flooded my mind, detailing the trait’s effects:

MYSTICISM grants you exceptional energy reserves and recovery rates. Your magical and physical stamina is increased by 300%. Cooldown periods for active abilities are reduced by 60%. Energy replenishes during sleep at 5x normal rate.

With this trait, I could cast Ember and Freezing Breath repeatedly in combat with minimal downtime. I could train longer, fight harder, and recover faster than anyone else at my level.

But I was still pissed.

"So let me get this straight," I said, keeping my voice low. "You promised me one Gold-tier item, delivered on that exact promise, and padded it with absolute garbage. That’s some loan shark tactics, Nel. You’d make a killing in the Yakuza."

[The divine sponsors find your reaction amusing, Host. They believed you might appreciate the... balance of fortune. Great power comes with small inconveniences.]

"A snail is not an inconvenience. It’s a joke. And I don’t like being the punchline."

[If it makes you feel better, Host, all three rewards have been delivered to your inventory. You may examine them at your leisure. The Gold trait has already been automatically applied to your status.]

I glanced at my status screen:

Name: Satori Nakano

Title: [NONE]

Level: 1

Class: [NONE]

Strength: D-277

Dexterity: D-208

Agility: D-231

Endurance: D-291

Magic: F-110

Active Abilities (2/2):

[EMBER]

[FREEZING BREATH]

Passive Abilities (1/4):

[MYSTICISM]

Skills/Traits:

[CHARMING EYES]

[INTERMEDIATE KAMA SUTRA]

[BASIC FIRST AID]

"I expect better from you next time, Nel," I said, dismissing the gaudy display with a mental wave. "I’m not some rube you can fleece with carnival games."

[Duly noted, Host. The divine sponsors will take your feedback under advisement. May I suggest examining your new familiar? Summoning it might provide... entertainment.]

"Not with Natalia here," I replied, glancing down at her sleeping form. "I don’t need to explain why I suddenly have a magic snail. And speaking of Natalia..."

I studied her face, peaceful in sleep. Last night had been a significant victory, pushing her past her defenses, making her vulnerable to me. The System had acknowledged as much with the quest progress update. 85% complete. Almost there.

But what was the remaining 15%? Just sex? That seemed too simplistic for the System’s twisted sense of narrative.

[Host. Physical intimacy is merely one aspect. The final act must be her choice, made with full awareness. A willing sacrifice of her former self.]

I considered this, absently running my fingers through Natalia’s purple hair. She stirred slightly but didn’t wake, pressing herself closer against me.

"And then what?" I asked. "Once I’ve completed this quest, what comes next?"

[That information is currently restricted. Complete your current objective, and new narrative possibilities will become available.]

Typical.

I sighed, suddenly aware of how tired I was. The excitement of the gacha pull and the mental taxation of dealing with Nel had drained what little energy I had upon waking. My eyelids felt heavy, my body warm and comfortable with Natalia’s weight against me.

"I’m going back to sleep," I decided. "Wake me if anything important happens."

[As you wish, Host. Although... aren’t you forgetting something?]

I frowned, searching my memory. Was there something important happening today? I couldn’t recall any specific plans or appointments. Just another day of training and preparation for the entrance exams.

"If it were that important, I’d remember," I muttered, already drifting back toward sleep. "Just let me rest."

[Very well. Sleep well, Host. Your energy recovery will be significantly boosted thanks to your new trait.]`