My Ability is Gacha (10)
★ : Applying special perk based on reference from the previous world...
The hologram continued to display the same screen without any changes. Growing anxious, I stared at the hologram and bit my nails.
Just then, I heard the goddess’s voice, filled with curiosity.
"Human? What on earth is this 'Gacha' thing... You were sad, then happy... then anxious... Why are your mood swings so intense?"
Wasn't the goddess supposed to be focused on the hologram? When did she read such complex emotions from my face?
Anyway, Gacha... how should I introduce it so she can accept it easily? Damn it... how much should I sugarcoat the concept of a lottery?
After a moment of contemplation, I slowly opened my mouth.
"...Gacha is... to put it simply... it's gambling."
"What? Gambling?"
"Ah... to be precise, it shows you something that has a physical form. That form can have various criteria... but if you don't mind, I'll use you, Goddess of Justice, as the standard for my explanation. Is that alright?"
"Hmm... sure."
"For example, you have that Executioner's Sword you put in your subspace earlier, right?"
"...My Executioner's Sword... what about it?"
"Well... imagine putting an Executioner's Sword into a subspace, just like yours. That sword is no longer just your sword; it becomes a special sword imbued with special functions."
"...What? My sword... is not my sword?"
"No, that's not it... it's just an example. Just think of it as an Executioner's Sword existing in some subspace. An ownerless Executioner's Sword. But simply by being in that subspace, the sword gains special functions."
"Ah... oh? Special functions?"
"Yes. Like a normal sword being upgraded into an 'Ego Executioner's Sword' with a will of its own..."
"An Ego Executioner's Sword!?"
For a split second, when I said 'Ego Executioner's Sword,' it looked like red flames ignited in the goddess's eyes... but that must have been my imagination, right?
"Anyway... it has become an ownerless Ego Executioner's Sword that is super-duper awesome."
"S-so? So what happens then!"
"You show that sword to a being who desires it. That sword is obtained through 'probability'."
"...Probability?"
"Yes. Probability. We call that a 'win'. Beings who desire the Ego Executioner's Sword will pay any price and keep challenging until it comes out... This system is what we call Gacha."
"That's vicious..."
"Well... but the pleasure and thrill you feel the moment you pull it... I don't need to tell you, right?"
"....The moment you pull it... that kind of.... You, a human, obtained that ability?"
"Well... wouldn't it be a similar ability? The Akashic Record System will tell us the exact details."
I spoke in a tone that was calm but lacked certainty. Immediately, the criticism of the three administrators came from behind me.
I turned around to see the teddy bear pointing its finger at me in condemnation.
"..."
I wanted to tell her that I wasn't a pervert, but a perfectly gentlemanly human... but I kept silent, fearing it would escalate into a serious situation. I know better than to read the room poorly.
I should stay quiet as a mouse.
The over-two-meter-tall stuffed bear hugged Akashia, whose body had perfect curves in all the right places, and cried. Akashia, with a benevolent expression, hugged the bear and comforted Recall.
Behold! Those benevolent breasts that can make even great weeping beings stop their tears! I wondered if I could get a chance to be held in her benevolent bosom if I cried my heart out once, as I watched the two of them.
-Hey... look at that human! He's staring at her breasts again?-
As expected, the sharp-witted Metatron immediately caught my gaze.
Akashia quickly covered her chest with both hands. I coughed to hide my embarrassment and tried my best.
"Ahem! Ah~ I wonder when it will be finished~"
-Hahahaha! Are you expecting something? Do you really think you can obtain such an absurd ability?-
Damn it... a human is allowed to dream a little, right? They're really going too far.
"That... no one knows. You have to measure it to know if it's long or short. Right now, when we don't know what will come out. The calm before the storm... whether your predictions are amateurish or my ability is amateurish, the results will speak for themselves."
-What? Amateurish? Goodness... it's obvious without even looking...-
Ding ding-ding didididing♪
Suddenly, a melody flowed from the hologram. Everyone present fell silent. The hologram screen began to change.
★ : Special perk (Rock-Paper-Scissors Machine) granted based on reference from the previous world
...Excuse me? Rock-Paper-Scissors?
The only Rock-Paper-Scissors I know are two things... Rock-Paper-Scissors... and that thing I used at the stationery store by exchanging coins for a machine...
Clatter.
Roll roll roll.
Thud—
With a strange sound, something fell out of the hologram and rolled to my feet. It was a capsule toy, about the size of a baseball, made of plastic with a red bottom and a transparent top where you could see the contents. Looking closely, I could see some kind of machine inside.
If I threw this and broke it... wouldn't it be like that thing invented by a scientist in the Dragon Ball universe I used to enjoy, where the contents return to their normal size?
-Hahahaha! What is that?-
"..."
Not wanting to hear their mockery anymore, I threw the capsule at them. I prayed that my prediction was correct...
Whoosh—
Snap!
Pop—
With the sound of it snapping and a 'pop' sound effect, it finally revealed its true form. The object inside the capsule instantly grew to the size of a Good Morning machine. It was a Rock-Paper-Scissors machine, flashing with colorful LEDs, emitting a brilliant light, and displaying a screen. And the machine was composed of a terrible hybrid, integrated with a plastic chair.
I felt a sense of dissonance with the absolute system. Crazy... integrated... To think I'd see such a terrible hybrid again after the desk-and-chair integrated collaboration from my student days... How uncomfortable that is... Isn't the system too old-fashioned?
Diri-ring diri-ring diri-ring♪
A melody flowed from that terrible hybrid.
"No... where did you bring such a poorly designed thing from..."
No sooner had I finished speaking than the hologram screen changed again.
《Akashic Record System》
★ : The system says it is not at fault.
The system asks if that is important right now.
The system tells you to sit in the chair quickly.
While everyone was focused on the presence of that terrible hybrid, I quickly got off the scale and sat in the machine's chair. No sooner had I sat down than the goddess, who had approached me, asked.
"What are you trying to do now...? Is this... your ability 'Gacha'?"
"It seems to be a part of the ability... but first... I have to see. First, I need to know what this is."
Leaving the goddess's curiosity behind, I slowly examined the machine. The machine had a large screen on the front (presumably showing the game progress), a lever on the right to pull like a slot machine, a slot about the size of an Olympic medal (presumably for inserting coins), two buttons on a joystick panel for rapid-fire, and three large buttons with Rock-Paper-Scissors drawings on them.
?
There's no place for prizes or medals to come out? Then how do they give out prizes or medals if you win? I had my doubts, but I soon had to erase those thoughts. Because a round coin, about the size of a medal, was flashing with a golden light in the middle of the joystick panel, catching my eye. I immediately raised my left hand to pick up the coin and examine it. 'GACHA COIN' was written on the front and back of the coin.
'GACHA COIN'
Hoho... Gacha... and coin... What a thrilling, fantastic collaboration this is...
No sooner had I finished admiring the coin's appearance and fallen into thought than the goddess, perhaps impatient, began to urge me.
"What is it... hurry up and do something!"
"Geez... why are you in such a hurry?"
"W-who's in a hurry! Be quiet and hurry up and proceed!"
Amidst the goddess's urging, I slipped the coin I was holding into the slot. I turned my head slightly to look at the goddess.
"..? What? Why?"
"..."
I held out my empty right hand to the goddess.
"...?"
"..."
She's really slow on the uptake.
"...Your hand, please..."
"...Haa!? You're trying to pull a trick here...? Well... I am a bit great..."
"Hey, what are you talking about! What are you talking about! I just want to receive some of the goddess's energy..."
"Goodness... alright! Alright, I got it!"
As if doing me a favor, the goddess wrapped both her hands around my right hand.
"Can you also provide a line of dialogue as a service?"
"You... you really are a crazy human... fine... I'll do that too. But, if you hit the jackpot, don't forget me."
"Hey~ of course! Even though I'm a human, I'm clear about relationships of grace and resentment. I am the very foundation of trust and faith among humans."
"Ha... if only you couldn't talk..."
The goddess, who was grumbling at me as I talked smoothly, closed her eyes while holding my right hand with both of hers. About 5 seconds passed. A pure white light flashed from the goddess's body for 0.1 seconds? It flashed once and then disappeared in an instant.
"Ooooooh!"
Immediately after my exclamation ended, the goddess opened her eyes and shouted at me.
"Hurry up! Before the blessing disappears!"
Aye aye, sir!
I pushed the coin from my left hand into the slot, and at the same time as the 'ding' sound, I pulled the lever vigorously.
Ding.
Whirrrrrrr—
Whirrrrrrrrrrrrr—
I heard the sound of something rotating vigorously.
Di-di-di-di-di!
Ta-da—!
With a unique preparation sound, letters appeared at the top of the machine's screen.
※ ROCK-PAPER-SCISSORS ※
In the middle of the screen, images of rock, paper, and scissors hands appeared, changing continuously. A moment later, with a beep, the screen changed and began a countdown.
Beep—
10
9
...
It seemed I had to win within 10 seconds after the beep. Yes, the probability is 1/3...
Win...
Draw...
Lose...
Showdown!
...
2
1
!
Rock!
Paper!
Scissors!
Thud—!
No sooner had the machine's guidance sound ended than I pressed the rock button hard. A man is all about rock!