First Blood and Gacha Grace

My resolve weakened. "Where'd you get the mask from? Why no answer?"

"......"

Ah, well. Truth is, my awakening ability is this gacha thing, you know?

Yeah, yeah, that pulling from mobile games. Exactly.

Anyway, so I did the beginner free 10-pull, and out comes this 'fucking badass mask'? Can you believe it?

Hahaha. Don't bullshit me? No, for real!

What if she goes, 'Hey, need a C-type charging cable?'

How the fuck am I supposed to respond to that?! Shit!!!!

If I tell her, would she even believe me? She tells me not to bullshit and doesn't just slice my throat off on the spot—that's lucky enough. That woman's a real villain, you know? A genuine one who's killed a ton of people!!

And even if she does believe me... what if she locks me in some basement and turns me into an item-slave spinning gachas for life?!

'Ha... fuck, what ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠do I do then...'

No tip card at a time like this. Think... think...

'Just say I made it?'

No way. Happiness looked like she knew exactly what this mask was.

What if she says, 'Bring materials, make it right in front of me'? With my skills, impossible. And I'd end up as a corpse.

What the hell do I do...?

"Does my question sound unreasonable?"

"No... it's not that..."

"Then why no answer? Was it too hard to understand?"

"No... um..."

Fucking bitch! She's really draining the life out of me.

"It's... hard to explain."

"...What did you say...?"

I had to choose my words carefully here. The vibe wasn't good.

"There's a circumstance. But I didn't steal it from anywhere. Please believe me."

"......"

For some reason, a chilling gaze pierced through her helmet. Then she stepped closer without a word, studying my face from every angle for a long while before speaking.

"Interesting."

Ah, glad my face entertained you. So, can I go now?

"It's really interesting that you can talk to me like that."

Fuck... this is seriously fucked up...?

"Hmm... so that's how it is? But it's still too early for that..."

Happiness tilted her head, mumbling something incomprehensible. Was she schizophrenic or something?

"Alright, come visit here sometime soon."

She handed me a business card.

No name, just a simple address and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠contact. Not a cell number—started with 031, like an office line.

"Got it. I'll definitely come by."

"Good. Head back now. Team Leader, Blanco. See you next time."

"Take care, Happiness."

"......"

She turned to leave, but glanced back at me one more time.

"Hey, skull-mask kid."

"Yes...?"

"That axe guy from earlier? He's not dead yet."

"...Oh, is that so?"

Why tell me that?

"So you kill him yourself. Finish him properly."

"......Understood."

Happiness, ordering me to commit murder. And with that, she left.

'She thought I couldn't do it, huh?'

I'm an awakener! An aspiring villain!

Besides, that bastard killed Mir hyung and attacked us. A fucking piece-of-shit villain. Killing trash like that? Easy.

I picked up the discarded sword and approached him. As I lined up the thrust to his throat—

"S-spare... spare... me..."

You fucking bastard. You've stolen from and killed so many, and now that it's your turn, you beg for your life? Disgusting prick!

But what really pissed me off? My hand was shaking at the tip of the sword. That begging look made me hesitate.

"Sexy Guy... killing ain't easy. Let me do it. I'll tell Happiness you handled it."

"Team Leader. I appreciate the consideration, but it's fine. I'll do it."

No matter what, stabbing him to death was still too much. My sword hand wouldn't stop trembling.

So, change of plan.

I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and dragged him along.

Where to?

"You thought I'd let a fucker like you go quick and painless? Suffer slow, keep apologizing to Mir hyung."

"Ah... no... please..."

I kicked him rolling with my foot. And then.

Splash—roar!

Dropped him straight into the lava. He'd burn slowly in agony till the end, probably.

Yeah... yeah, this is better. I did what I had to.

The shock of killing a person? Of course it's there.

But I can overcome it. Gritting through trauma is my specialty.

"Good work, Sexy Guy."

"You too, Team Leader. Senior Blanco as well."

"...Yeah. You did good."

After that, we retraced our steps back to the Labor Office.

With Mir hyung gone, continuing the hunt just us three felt off. Plus, all of us were drained, not in great shape.

In the end, I couldn't farm more points—a total loss.

Thanks to the sudden achievement pop-up.

(Current points: 1,330pt)

I had enough for a gacha pull.

Finished settling up at the Labor Office and raced home.

Then came the heart-pounding gacha time.

"Let's go! Please!! Super rare again! Please!! Gacha Outer God!!!"

And the results?

"Wooooaaahhh!!!!"

Two whole super rares!!!

"Gacha Outer God! I love you! I respect you! Thank you!"

I immediately bowed deeply. Now, time to check the items.

Skip the worthless normals for now—straight to the SRs!

Perfect! Absolutely perfect!

I wanted more stamina, and this explanation is so straightforward. Truth is, even without Mana Conversion, stamina is basically the most crucial stat for any awakener. Durability to tank hits that would one-shot you into surviving multiple? That's stamina at its core.

And best part?

Ab.so.lute. value.

I'm awakened, but my stamina's still just a bit above average human. Percentage boosts ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠would screw me over.

But an absolute, major increase? Total cheat!

Use it now!

"Yes!!!"

Ooh! Oooooh!!!

I feel it! This massive power surging in!!!

Like something warm seeping into my body. Strength spreading to every corner of my veins.

Tested Steel Body with Mana Conversion.

"Awesome! Perfect!!!"

I used only 60% output, but the difference was night and day.

Hardened my whole body in an instant, and duration skyrocketed. And this is post-gate, not even full condition?

"Uhahahahaha!! Jackpot!!"

With this, Rank Battle's looking promising!

But.

The real deal's still waiting.

Too tense—deep breaths first.

"Hoo... hoo... Alright, mentally prepared! Let's do it!"

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

Standing ovation right away.

I said it, right? Mana issue solved this time. I felt it coming.

Go! Right now!

With this, I can take on anyone! Even top academy cadets, unless they're elite ranks! This is what makes a munchkin begin!

I went to use it. But.

Ah... seriously? You're really gonna do this now? At this timing?

What stopped me? A sudden thought.

What if Ha-eun gets the black nameplate? Can she win Rank Battle with her current skills? Her athleticism looked downright abysmal in class.

That thought...

No. Hell no.

Share a must-have power with someone else? And not even a heroine or anything?

No. Don't do it.

In webnovels, when protags hand out fortunes to side characters early, I drop 'em immediately! That's peak frustrating plot bullshit!

I even remember the last comment from that drop:

Yeah. I wrote that. Wanted to land that 'on/offboard' pun.

"Haa... fuck..."

Honestly, I don't get why Ha-eun's so nice to me.

Nice girl complex? Or hobby of watching misfortune porn up close?

Who knows.

But truthfully, I was so grateful she even talked to me.

Even thinking she might vanish like a mirage someday.

Even reminding myself not to get close.

Even without ever seeing her face properly.

Those moments felt happy.

I was that desperate. For someone to just talk to me normally. To treat me human-to-human, please.

And after I got the black nameplate—the insults, mockery from everyone. Constant bullying and ignoring from other cadets.

Because I was weak. No one listened no matter how I screamed my innocence.

When I realized that could all turn on Ha-eun...

I just couldn't use it right now.