[Sunday, September 4, 2013 ~ Location: NYC, Brooklyn, Crown Heights ~ 6:44 AM]
The alarm didn't go off—because I didn't set one.
Still, I woke up before the sun touched the high-rises. Maybe it was the constant hum of early-morning traffic, distant sirens, and the muffled growl of the subway far beneath the street and above it, the relentless thrum of Brooklyn—a low, ever-present symphony. Perhaps it was the city quietly nudging me into consciousness, setting the rhythm of Jason's internal clock. Even on a Sunday, his body knew the time. Or maybe it was the leftover survival instinct of someone who'd died once and wasn't keen on doing it again. The ceiling above me was cracked with age, like it had stories of its own to tell. I stared at it for a long time, anchoring myself in the silence before movement.
Usually, he'd roll over. But today, something felt different. At seventeen, the world felt like it was expanding too fast, filled with people who could fly or move mountains, while he felt increasingly stagnant in a three-room apartment. He looked at his thin arms and made a sudden, quiet decision. Today, he decided that he would work out starting today, because he was always used to being aware of my surroundings when he was a soldier. Now, being reincarnated, he's slow as hell and doesn't have the reflexes or the coordination to fight with the skills he learned in his time in the military. So, he decided to start from now on.
His bed, a simple twin pushed against the wall to maximize floor space, creaked as he swung his legs over the side, bare feet touching the cool floor. The air was cool against his face, a faint scent of old books and the city's electric hum. He moved with the quiet efficiency of someone who'd long outgrown the need to wake his mother. His workout, a ritualistic communion between mind and muscle, was a sacred experience he considered back in his old world.
He dropped to the floor and began with push-ups. Slow. Controlled. Twenty repetitions, chest hovering just above the wood, arms burning by the last few. He flipped onto his back for sit-ups, counting each one in his head, breath steady, core tightening until it trembled. Then the pull-ups.
The reinforced molding above his closet door let out a quiet groan as he gripped it and hauled himself up. He'd fixed it himself months ago after the original trim nearly tore loose. Each pull was a strain, muscles screaming in protest, fingers biting into the wood. Twenty. No shortcuts.
He rested between sets, hands on his knees, drawing in deep breaths that fogged faintly in the cool room. Sweat gathered along his hairline and ran down his temples, darkening the floor beneath him, carving a small river on the floor. The initial ache spread through his body, familiar and grounding, past the fatigue, finding a zen-like focus in the rhythmic contraction and expansion of his muscles. This wasn't about vanity or competition. This wasn't just exercise; It was preparation. By the time he finished, his muscles throbbed with that deep, satisfying burn that promised progress. He straightened slowly, rolling his shoulders, and let out a long breath.
[8:21 AM]
From the kitchen came the soft clatter of dishes, followed by his mother's voice.
"Jason? Come on, breakfast's ready."
A small smile tugged at his lips.
I muttered to myself about the workout, how it was hard, now that I'm skinny again, and shuffled towards the bathroom. He grabbed a faded towel from the back of his chair and wiped his face and chest before ducking into the bathroom. The shower sputtered to life, and I let the warm water run over me until I was more awake than numb. The reflection in the speckled mirror still didn't feel like mine.
Seventeen. Same storm-grey eyes, sure, but the angles were slightly off, like an uncanny rendering. Taller than he'd been last year. Still lean, but filling out. His eyes looked older than he felt—focused, alert, like he was waiting for something he couldn't name. He brushed his teeth and went out of the bathroom, put on the same hoodie and pajamas from last night, and exited his room, closing the door.
He joined his mother in the kitchen, where the smell of eggs and toast cut through the lingering scent of coffee. Caroline stood at the stove in her worn Sunday sweats, humming under her breath as she plated breakfast. She turned when she noticed him, smiling warmly.
"Morning," she said. "You're up early again. Did you sleep?"
"Couldn't sleep that much, had a lot on my mind," Jason replied, sliding onto one of the stools at the tiny table.
She set a plate in front of him—scrambled eggs, bacon, and perfectly browned sourdough. "Funny how that always happens on your 'rest' days."
He grinned and dug in.
They ate in comfortable silence for a moment, the kind that came from years of shared routines. Outside, the city continued to wake—doors slamming, a car horn somewhere down the block.
"So," Caroline said at last, wrapping her hands around her mug. "Any plans today?"
I paused, not expecting anything from my mom, but I thought for a few moments before speaking. "I'm gonna go to the library later, near the Grand Army Plaza," Jason replied between bites. "That history project I got last week. I want to check a few older sources before confirming a few things."
She nodded approvingly. "Good. Books don't disappear when someone decides they don't like what they say. And please, take care, there are villains everywhere."
He smirked. "That's very optimistic of you. And yes, I'll be careful."
She laughed softly. "Let me have my illusions."
After breakfast, Jason rinsed his plate and gave his mom a quick hug before heading back to his room. Jason pushed open his bedroom door, the old wood groaning in protest, and stepped inside, pushing the door closed. The air was still, a lingering phantom of his workout. He went to his desk, intending to grab his notes and his backpack for the library trip.
But before his hand could touch the worn fabric, a sudden, blinding flash of cerulean light erupted in the center of his vision. It wasn't external; it was inside his head, a tingling at the base of his skull, as if a current had passed through his brain, his vision blurred momentarily, and then it projected itself as a tangible, holographic display, pulsating with raw energy, materializing before his eyes.
|System Initialization Process|
Welcome, Jason Matthew.
|You have been chosen.|
Jason blinked, now sitting on the chair, instinctively reaching out to touch the floating text, but his hand passed through it.
"Is this... a hallucination?" he muttered.
At first, I stared at the screen in confusion. 'Chosen for what?' I thought in my head, my thoughts too loud for the silence in the room. For any normal person, this would've been strange but alright. For me? It was frightening. I mean, who gets a message like this out of nowhere?
I stared at the screen, my heart pounding. This wasn't just a late-night hallucination; it was real. The same message flashed before me:
|You have been chosen.|
I sat there frozen, unsure whether to be excited, terrified, or both. Before I could decide, a new message appeared.
|Do you accept? Y / N|
This was unexpected, and now I was faced with a choice: reject it or accept it. For all I knew, the Devil Lucifer or Mephisto, One Above All or One Below All, or it could be the Presence or The Great Drakness, it could be anyone behind this, waiting for my ass to say Yes, so they could have a foothold in this reality. But... what if it wasn't? What if this was the leap of faith I needed or secretly wanted?
Now you might be wondering what I would do next. Well, picture this: the screen was blue, the text glowing white ominously, and I was sitting in my chair in my bedroom, in a kind of lit-up room. Let's be real, who gets an offer like this? Something for free, without strings attached? Most people in the media like anime or manga who get powers after dying, or a deity grants them abilities. But here I was, alive and breathing, being handed something completely unknown.
His mind raced, a thousand questions warring with a primal surge of adrenaline. This was it. This was the why of his constant training, the unspoken answer to the readiness he felt. In a world of heroes, he'd always been an observer, a civilian in the shadow of giants. Now, something was offering him a path. His hand, as if moved by an unseen force, twitched. His heart pounded a furious rhythm against his ribs. He felt the pull, the undeniable gravity of this impossible choice.
"Okay," I whispered to myself, gripping my knee with my hands. My hand was trembling as a single word formed in his mind, sharp and unwavering. "Let's see what happens."
I thought in my mind: yes.
|Welcome, Jason Matthew. Your system is initializing...|
The screen went blank, and for a moment, I thought the system had crashed. Panic slowly started to creep in, but then, a series of words started typing themselves out:
|Setting up Interface...|
🔄Booting up...
✅Identity Confirmed:[Transmigrant Detected]
🧠Memory Synced.. Access to Previous Life:[Granted]
🌍Host World: Marvel-Universe-619999690-1216 (Omniverse Nexus Point)
🎰Omni-Gacha System: Active
{Initializing System Features...}
🔹 Gacha Pulls
Draw tickets daily for randomized items, skills, companions, or traits.
🔹 World Jumping
Unlock new universes as you progress. 🌌 Current World: [Marvel-Universe designation: 619999690-1216]
🔹 Interactive Choice
Your decisions can alter world events. If you choose to.
🔹 Stats Interface: [Initializing...]
🔹 Race: [Initializing...]
🔹 Gacha: [Initializing...]
🔹 Inventory: [Initializing...]
🔹 Quests: [Initializing...]
|synchronizing data... Complete.|
The moment the system data completed, the entire interface exploded in a blinding supernova of light and sound, not just in his head, but seemingly within the very fabric of his small room. The floor beneath him vanished, the walls dissolved into a swirling vortex of colors and impossible geometries. A sensation of being stretched, pulled thin, then compressed into a single, infinitesimally small point, overwhelmed him. It was too much, too fast, too mystical, too utterly alien. The last thing he registered before the world went utterly, irrevocably black was the sensation of falling, endlessly, through the shimmering void of a thousand forgotten stars. He didn't even hear his face hit the desk ... then he passed out.
[9:49 AM]
I woke up not knowing what had happened. My head felt heavy and was throbbing, like I'd been knocked out for hours, but when I glanced at the digital clock, only an hour had passed. I blinked a few times, trying to think. The room was lit by the rising sun through the window, which was covered by the curtains. The system screen lit up, now displaying a simple glowing message:
|System successfully initialized.|
"What the hell happened?" I muttered, sitting up in my chair. My heart was racing, but my curiosity was stronger than my fear. The screen changed again, showing a new message:
|Would you like a Tutorial? Y / N|
I collected myself for a few moments, then thought, yes. The screen dimmed momentarily before a soft, robotic voice echoed from my mind.
| The Omni-versal Nexus Protocol has selected you |
Integration into the MDCCU-verse as a resident transmigrant.
Here, your potential will be unlocked, and your path defined.
Your current status is: New Lifeform - Transmigrated
Your mission: Survive, Adapt, and Influence the Threads of Fate
|Let us begin.|
Well, this is interesting. It looks like someone created the system for a reason, but for what reason? I stopped thinking when I noticed that the system screen changed again.
|Welcome to the Omni-Gacha System!|
As a new player, you're starting fresh with all the tools and rewards to dive into this system.
Starter Pack: Available
Here's what you get to start your journey:
Tickets:
3 Bronze Tickets
1 Silver Ticket
1 Gold Ticket
1 Gold Character card
Gacha Points (GP):100 GP for purchases or ticket upgrades
|Daily Login Reward:A Free Bronze Ticket each day when you log in.
{Main Menu}
Choose your first action:
1) Pull a Ticket:Use tickets to receive random rewards.
2) Visit the Shop:Spend GP to buy items, tickets, or world content.
3) Explore Worlds:Unlock world-specific missions and rewards.
4) Settings: Adjust your preferences or get help.
5) Exit: Leave the system when you're ready.
|Let's start the Adventure!|
I just got a Gacha system in a Marvel and DC universe. Now, this could be the worst thing that could ever happen, or it could be a good opportunity. However, gotta remember I just got it and need to learn how it ticks.
"Number 4, settings, please," I said to the floating blue screen in front of me.
|⚙️Setting Menu|
Welcome to the Settings Menu! Here, you can manage and adjust your preferences and learn more about the system from the settings menu. Here you can configure at this stage.
Choose an option below:
1) Help:Learn about tickets, worlds, Gacha Points, leveling up, and more.
2) Customization:Adjust background colours, music volume, and video settings.
|3) Exit:Return to Main Menu.
I thought of the Help button because I needed more information about what exactly I was about to get into.
|Help options|
1) What are Tickets?
2) What are Worlds?
3) What is Gacha Point?
4) How do I earn Gacha Points?
5) Can I pull Gacha Points?
6) What happens if I don't pull for a while?
7) What are Event Gacha Draws?
8) Ask your own Questions(Say your query and receive an automated response.)
What would you like to learn about?
|Let me know how I can help!|
From this screen alone, many of the questions I had about the system started to make sense. The Shop required Gacha Points, which could be used to buy anything within the limit of the system, and there were specific ways to earn this currency, which, of course, meant grinding. It could be a good thing or a bad one; you never know.
The system had tickets, events, and World tickets. A world ticket? I think if I got one of those, it meant I could travel to other worlds, right? In every world that existed, the possibilities were endless. My pulse quickened as I started to piece it all together. There were so many options to explore. I should go through every menu and break down the mechanics. 'This will take a while.'
[10:51]
So, I used all the help options and made sense of it by writing it in my notebook, the one in which this version of me wrote about his life, was written. Ok, so here is an overview of what I understood from the Help Menu:
1) What are Tickets?
Tickets are the primary method of rolling for items in the gacha system. There are multiple types:
*Bronze (basic draws, only up to Rare)
*Silver (better odds, can get Epic)
*Gold (chance for Legendary, very rare Mythic)
*Platinum (best odds, chance for Legendary and Mythic)
Tickets can be used in:
*Standard Draws (random category)
*Focused Draws (targeted category like Weapons or Magic)
*World Draws (exclusive/specialized items from/tied to a specific world)
Categories (Equal Odds)
Each draw can result in one of the following 7 categories:
*Weapons
*Armor
*Magic
*Skills
*Items
*Toys
*Property
Rarity Tiers
From lowest to highest:
*Common
*Uncommon
*Rare
*Epic
*Legendary
*Mythical
Each tier grants progressively better items — from basic tools or food (e.g., cooked pork chop, Pokéballs) to reality-warping artifacts (e.g., Wand of Eclipse, Phoenix Tears).
Special Systems
*Character Cards (Legendary/Mythical): Let you summon, template, skill transfer, and bond with characters from fandoms and fiction.
*World Missions: Available while you have access to a world; reward resources, gear, and points.
2) What are Worlds and Worlds Tickets?
Worlds are the fictional or fanfictional universes from which items, abilities, and characters can originate. Examples include:
Pokémon, Star Wars, Chainsaw Man, My Little Pony, Elden Ring, etc. There are a total of Infinite worlds, each with an equal chance to appear in a standard world draw.
World Ticket Mechanics
These Tickets allow the user to visit different worlds for a random amount of time.
*Attached Tickets (90.1%): Linked to a specific world (e.g., Naruto, Star Wars).
*Unattached Tickets (9.9%): You choose the world.
*Duration Variants: From 1 day to permanent access. Permanent is extremely rare (0.1%).
3) What are Gacha Points?
Gacha Points (GP) are a currency earned through living life and completing missions.
Used to exchange tickets, buy items, or upgrade access.
Also used for shop purchases (like a lightsaber, or temporary or permanent world access).
4) How do I earn Gacha Points?
Using Tickets: GP is given when any tier ticket is used by the user.
Bronze: +1 GP
Silver: +1 GP
Gold: +5 GP
Platinum: +10 GP
World: +15 GP
Missions:
Daily: 1-10 GP
Example: "Use a ticket today to earn 3 GP."
Weekly: 10-50 GP
Example: "Pull 5 rare or higher items this week."
Event: 50–100 GP (rare and depending on difficulty)
Example: "Participate in an Event Gacha Draw 3 times."
Converting Duplicate Items: Duplicate items can be automatically converted to GP if you choose to:
*Common Items: 1 GP
*Uncommon Items: 5 GP
*Rare Items: 10 GP
*Epic Items: 25 GP
*Legendary Items: 50 GP
*Mythical Items: 100 GP
5) Can I pull Gacha Points?
You don't pull GP directly. Instead, you earn them as a byproduct of using tickets or completing missions.
GP Rewards by Rarity Tier:
*Common: {Mission 2-20 GP} / {Ticket 1-5 GP}
*Uncommon: {Mission 20-60 GP} / {Ticket 5-10 GP}
*Rare: {Mission 60-140 GP} / {Ticket 10-20 GP}
*Epic: {Mission 140-300 GP} / {Ticket 20-30 GP}
*Legendary: {Mission 300-600 GP} / {Ticket 30-40 GP}
*Mythical: {Mission 600-1000 GP} / {Ticket 40-50 GP}
6) What happens if I don't pull for a while?
*Ticket Stacking Unused Tickets: Daily login rewards (e.g., Bronze Tickets) will continue to stack. There is no Maximum Ticket limit.
*Catch-Up Bonuses: If you return after a week of inactivity, the system rewards you for re-engaging:
*+1 Silver Ticket
*+50 GP
*Temporary Content Tickets: If you had any Temporary World Tickets, they will expire on their set date, even if you're not active.
*Missed Event Draws: Limited-time draws and missions will expire if you don't participate before they end.
7) What are Event Gacha Draws?
These are limited-time pulls tied to special missions or promotions. They usually offer:
*Themed rewards
*Better pull rates or exclusive content
*Higher mission-based GP earnings.
So, this is everything I learned about the system. I can see that not logging in seemed like a smart idea, except when there was an event happening. Events could mean extra rewards or opportunities, and missing out on those wouldn't be a waste at all. But being AFK also meant I wouldn't be able to open tickets during that time. Time to see what I'm working with. "Status."
Status
Username: Jason Matthew
Age: 17
Level: 1 (0/100)
Race: [Human]
HP: 415 /ENE: 310[1]
VIT: 10
STR: 10
END: 10
DEX: 10
AGI: 10
PER: 10
INT: 10
WIS: 10
LCK: ??? (Obscured)
Stat Points: 0
Gacha Points: 100 GP
Skills: [0 skills]
Character Card: [Empty]
Inventory: [0 regular items] [0 ticket items]
Quest: [0 in progress]
Available Tickets: [3 Bronze] [1 Silver] [2 Gold] [0 Platinum]
[11:26]
"Okay, this looks good, I think, and that's kinda dope," He dismissed the system panel. He exhaled and stood up from the chair, stretching his arms above his head, then went to his closet and picked out a grey tank top and black cargo pants, then took off the hoodie and pajama before pulling on the clothes.
He packed his backpack—notebooks, his laptop, a paperback he'd no idea how he got, but had been meaning to return—and slung it over his shoulder. Whatever had happened, whatever that was, it wasn't announcing itself again. He wasn't about to stand around waiting for answers that clearly weren't coming on demand.
The apartment smelled faintly of coffee when he stepped out of his room. Caroline was on the couch, book in hand, curled in a blanket with the TV playing the news on a low volume.
"Heading out," Jason said as he walked over to his mother.
She glanced over her shoulder. "Library?"
"Yeah. I'll be back later."
Caroline's brows narrowed in confusion. "Aren't you taking your car?"
"No, I thought I would take the bus, need to walk for a bit. Ok, I'm going."
"Well, text me when you're on your way home."
"Always do."
She smiled, brief and tired, and leaned in to press a quick kiss to his cheek. "Be safe."
Jason nodded and opened the door, the familiar creak echoing down the hallway as he stepped out and pulled it shut behind him.
The stairwell was cool and dim, concrete walls marked with old scuffs and peeling paint. He took the steps two at a time, emerging onto the sidewalk where Brooklyn moved at its usual unhurried pace. A few shops were open. A man was on his phone while he walked his dog. Somewhere down the block, music drifted from an open window.
Jason headed for the bus stop and checked the schedule out of habit more than necessity. The bus would be there in a few minutes.
He leaned against the pole, backpack strap hooked around his wrist, eyes following the slow crawl of traffic. That was when someone else stepped into his peripheral vision.
She was tall, dark-haired, and wearing a worn leather jacket, sunglasses hid her eyes, with a grey scarf around her neck, even though it was overcast despite the mild weather, and the sun wasn't even particularly bright. There was something heavy in the way she stood—like gravity worked a little harder on her than everyone else.
She stopped a few feet away and waited, hands in her pockets, posture loose but alert.
Jason didn't stare at the person. He just… noticed.
The bus rounded the corner with a low hiss of brakes and pulled up to the curb. Jason stepped on first, tapping his pass and moving down the aisle. The public bus smelled like a mix of burnt oil and cheap air freshener. He chose a seat near the middle, window side, and dropped into it, away from the front where the elderly and worn-out sat, but not too far back where the loud kids claimed territory, resting his forehead lightly against the glass as the engine rumbled back to life. The seat beside me wasn't empty for long.
A moment later, the woman boarded and took the seat beside him. The chair creaked softly as she sat. She didn't look at him, keeping her eyes forward with a loose yet ready posture while sitting down.
Jason focused on the street blurring past him, brick buildings, storefronts, and people blurring together as the bus picked up speed. It was a long ride to Manhattan, and he let his thoughts drift in the vastness of his mind.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a light glare and saw her pull a small metal flask from her jacket. She unscrewed the cap, took a measured sip, then another, before tucking it away. Her shoulders relaxed just a fraction.
Jason kept his gaze on the outside world sliding past him.
At some point, the motion of the bus smoothed out, and the hum of the engine became almost hypnotic. He blinked slowly, then glanced sideways.
Her head was hanging down, and her eyes were closed. Not asleep, exactly—more like resting. Her face was lined in a way that suggested exhaustion rather than age.
It suddenly clicked inside his mind at that moment who was sitting next to him.
Recognition, delayed because he didn't look, but certain now about who it was.
Jessica Jones or Jewel.
The name surfaced immediately, pulled from my past life, comics, shows, and half-remembered news stories, and blurry photos. Left her hero's career to be a private investigator after the incident that changed her life. A woman associated with incidents no one ever seemed to explain fully.
As the realization settled in my head, something else stirred like at the back of my mind.
A soft, internal chime—more felt than heard, then a panel materialized in front of me.
|SYSTEM NOTIFICATION|
Received Item: Silver Gacha Ticket (x1)
|Source: ??? (Fated Encounter)|
Jason stiffened for half a second. Jessica didn't react to me. Just tucked the information panel into the back of my mind. Just the words, briefly present, then gone.
He turned back to the window, pulse steadying. Whatever that system was, it was paying attention. And for reasons he didn't yet understand, it had just given him something.
The bus slowed and jerked to a stop a few minutes later. Jessica opened her eyes, stood without a word, and moved toward the door. As she stepped off, Jason watched her through the glass. She didn't look back. She disappeared into the crowd as the doors folded shut.
For a fleeting moment, Jason considered getting up, following her, asking something—anything. The thought faded almost as soon as it formed in his head.
She lived in a world that was different from his, one that was bathed in shadows and unfinished stories. She was a superhuman, and he was still just a regular kid with a backpack and a library card with no powers, but not for long.
The doors closed with a creak and a rattle, and the bus rolled on with a hiss.
Traffic thickened as the bus made its way to Grand Army Plaza through Prospect Park, buildings falling behind, Forests surronding us, as the bus went forward. Jason stayed seated until his stop finally came.
[12:09]
He stepped off onto the sidewalk, the city immediately swallowing the sound of the bus as it pulled away.
The library stood a block down, concrete and glass, quiet and solid amid the chaos. Jason climbed the steps, pushed open the heavy doors, and stepped inside.
Cool air, the scent of paper, and the hush of hundreds of people sharing the same unspoken agreement: whatever waited outside could stay there.
[05:07]
Jason lost track of time in the library because he was in his research.
Hours passed in the quiet rhythm of turning pages, soft footsteps between shelves, and the distant hum of the city muffled by thick walls and high ceilings. He moved from table to table, sometimes reading, sometimes just sitting there with a book open in front of him while his thoughts wandered far beyond the text.
He hadn't only come to research his project, but also had space to think.
Being there, surrounded by records, by history preserved and cataloged, gave him some space to think about what his role in this world would be. About the path that was stretching out in front of him, foggy and undefined. Until that morning, his future had felt… ordinary. Go to college, maybe. Then a job. Helping his mom when he could. Staying ready for things he didn't quite believe would ever come for him.
Now, there was something else layered over all of it. Something unseen, patient, and quietly watching him. The system could be a blessing or a curse, but he would need to figure out which it was on his own.
At some point, he did what he'd told himself he would. He pulled a few older sources for his history project, cross-checking timelines and annotations, making notes in the margins of his notebook. Nothing earth-shattering, just discrepancies, omissions, the kind that came from stories being retold too many times by the hands of the people who win.
When the light outside the tall windows began to dim, and his stomach reminded him how long it had been since breakfast, Jason finally packed up. He slung his backpack over one shoulder and sent a quick message to his mother.
'Heading home now.'
'Ok, be careful.'
He made his way toward the main doors, the soft echo of his footsteps following him through the lobby. As he pushed outside, the noise of the city rushed back in all at once. Car horns. People talking on their phones. The low, constant vibration of movement.
Jason paused on the steps and took a deep breath. The air smelled like forest and exhaust and something warm from a nearby food cart. Real.
He walked to the bus stop and waited, shoulders slightly hunched against the cooling evening. The bus arrived not long after, and he boarded without thinking much about it, finding an empty seat and settling in as it pulled away from the curb.
Traffic was thick. The city was in that familiar state—workday ending, night beginning. Red brake lights stretched endlessly ahead of them. People packed the sidewalks, faces tired, voices sharp with impatience or relief.
The ride took nearly an hour.
Jason watched the city slide past in fragments, his reflection faint in the darkened window. The system, whatever it was, remained silent. No prompts. No explanations. Just that quiet sense of something waiting.
When the bus finally dropped him near his neighborhood, he stepped off and adjusted his backpack. The streets here were calmer, familiar. He walked the remaining ten minutes home, passing storefronts and lit apartment windows, each one holding a separate, unknowable life experience.
By the time his building came into view, the sky had fully darkened. Jason slowed slightly as he approached, unaware that this quiet, ordinary walk might be the last stretch of normalcy he'd get for a long while.
[06:03]
Jason let himself into the apartment quietly and closed the door behind him. The familiar sounds of home settled around him almost immediately—the low murmur of the television, the clink of a mug against ceramic.
"Hey," Caroline said from the couch, looking up with a relieved smile. "You're back."
"Yeah," Jason replied, dropping his bag by the door. "Long day."
He sat beside her, sinking into the cushions. For a few minutes, they talked about nothing important, how crowded the buses had been, a documentary she'd half-watched, a librarian who'd shushed someone far too aggressively. It was easy, comfortable. The kind of conversation that didn't demand anything more than presence.
Eventually, Jason stood and stretched. "I'm gonna change and lie down for a bit."
"Dinner in a couple of hours," Caroline said. "Don't disappear completely."
He smiled. "I won't."
In his room, Jason swapped his clothes for something looser and stretched out on the bed. The city hummed faintly beyond the walls, distant and always a constant. He stared at the ceiling for a few moments, thoughts drifting to the library, the bus ride, Jessica Jones, and the system, which he was still hesitant to use. His thoughts played in his mind for a few minutes until sleep took him faster than he expected.
[08:26]
A gentle knock pulled him back to the surface hours later.
"Jason, are you up?" his mother said softly through the door. "Dinner's ready."
He groaned quietly and rolled onto his side. "Okay. Be there in a few."
Her footsteps retreated back down the hallway.
Jason sat up, rubbing his face, then shuffled to the bathroom. Cold water helped shake off the last remnants of sleep from his face. He washed up, ran a hand through his hair, went back out to the living room, and sat with his mother to eat.
Dinner was simple and warm. They ate together at the small table, talking about school, coworkers, small annoyances, and life in general. Jason listened as much as he spoke. Caroline noticed, but didn't comment.
Afterward, he helped clear the dishes and dry them while she washed. When everything was put away, he gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Night, Mom."
"Goodnight, sweetheart."
Back in his room, Jason sat on the edge of the bed and opened his laptop. He hadn't even fully logged in when a notification popped up.
A group call.
He accepted.
The screen filled quickly, faces appearing one by one. His friends were Peter Parker, Ned Leeds, Michelle Jones, Liz Allen, Betty Brant, Kamala Khan, Cindy Moon, Ava Ayala, Gwen Stacy, Yolanda Montez, and Harry Osborne, as he has been with this group since he started at Midtown High. Laughter followed almost immediately. They talked over each other at first, catching up, joking about weekend plans, and half-finished assignments. Someone complained about a group project. Someone else bragged about finishing theirs early. Jason mostly listened, chiming in when he needed to, smiling more than he realized.
An hour passed easily, talking between them.
Eventually, yawns started appearing on screen, excuses were made, goodnights exchanged. One by one, the calls ended until Jason was alone again, the room quiet except for the faint whir of his laptop fan.
He closed it and set it aside. For a moment, he just sat there. He thought about Peter and Cindy, who would go out to patrol the streets. It was real. He didn't know who had brought him here, or why. But he was here for better or worse. And he'd make it count because this was his new start. Then he focused inward and summoned the system, and brought up the starter pack." System, show me the Starter Pack."
The system responded immediately, not with spectacle, but with clarity. A minimal interface unfolded in his awareness. Calm. Neutral.
|Starter Pack: Available|
Here's what you get to start your journey:
3 Bronze Tickets
1 Silver Ticket
1 Gold Ticket
1 Gold Character card
Gacha Points (GP): 100 GP for purchases or ticket upgrades
|Daily Login Reward: A Free Bronze Ticket each day when you log in.
Grayson cracked a smile. His heart still hurt. He was alone. But for the first time, he had a mission.
"…Right," he muttered. "Welcome to Marvel and DC, Jason. Don't die. System, accept the Starter Pack. Show me my tickets."
|Your Current Tickets|
Here's a summary of your tickets:
Bronze Tickets: 3
Silver Ticket: 2
Gold Tickets: 2
Platinum Tickets: 0
World Tickets: 0
Would you like to:
Use one of your tickets?
Learn more about tickets?
Return to Main Menu?
"System, draw all Bronze Tickets," I said to the floating screen. As soon as I said that, a Bronze Gacha wheel with 7 category slots appeared, and it started spinning for a few seconds. As it came to a stop, my Bronze ticket gave me this:
|🎟️ Bronze Ticket Roll – Standard Draw|
🎲 Pull Odds: Common: 65%, Uncommon: 30%, Rare: 5%
🎯 Categories Included: Armor, Weapons, Magic, Items, Skills, Toys, Property
🌍 Worlds Included: All infinite worlds, equal odds
🌀 Rolling...
🎉 Rarity Rolled: Uncommon
Item Name: Blink Dagger Replica
Category: Weapons
World:Valorant
Description: A sleek tactical dagger inspired by the close-quarters weapons used by elite Valorant agents. While this replica lacks the advanced Radianite tech of agent-grade gear, it is perfectly balanced and forged from hardened alloy steel. Favored by scouts and infiltrators, the dagger is light, silent, and ideal for fast-paced combat situations.
Special Effects:
*Quick Draw: Increases weapon swap speed by 10%.
*Silent Strikes: Reduces noise made when attacking from stealth.
*Recycle Cost: 60 GP
Shop Price: 300 GP
GP earned: 11 GP
|Would you like to roll another ticket or do something else with this Item?|
|🎟️ Bronze Ticket Roll – Standard Draw|
🎲 Pull Odds: Common: 65%, Uncommon: 30%, Rare: 5%
🎯 Categories Included: Armor, Weapons, Magic, Items, Skills, Toys, Property
🌍 Worlds Included: All infinite worlds, equal odds
🌀 Rolling...
🎉 Rarity Rolled: Common
Item Name: Training Spell Scroll: Mana Spark
Category: Magic
World:The Witcher
Description: A beginner-level spell scroll used by apprentice mages and witcher trainees to learn basic magical control. The scroll teaches Mana Spark, a simple spell that creates a small burst of magical energy at the caster's fingertips. While not suitable for combat against powerful foes, it is invaluable for learning mana flow, igniting campfires, or triggering simple magical mechanisms.
Special Effects:
*Mana Control Practice: Slightly improves mana efficiency when casting low-tier spells.
*Spark Cast: Produces a small magical spark capable of lighting fires or startling enemies.
Recycle Cost: 30 GP
Shop Price: 150 GP
GP earned: 4 GP
|Would you like to roll another ticket or do something else with this Item?|
|🎟️ Bronze Ticket Roll – Standard Draw|
🎲 Pull Odds: Common: 65%, Uncommon: 30%, Rare: 5%
🎯 Categories Included: Armor, Weapons, Magic, Items, Skills, Toys, Property
🌍 Worlds Included: All infinite worlds, equal odds
🌀 Rolling...
🎉 Rarity Rolled: Uncommon
Item Name: Enhanced Situational Awareness
Category: Skill
World:The Walking Dead
Description: A survival-honed mental skill developed through constant danger and high-stress environments. Enhanced Situational Awareness trains the user to subconsciously scan surroundings, notice subtle changes, and anticipate potential threats. This skill doesn't rely on supernatural power—only sharpened instincts, experience, and calm judgment—making it universally useful across worlds, especially in hostile or unfamiliar territory.
Special Effects:
*Threat Detection: Increases the chance to notice hidden enemies, traps, or environmental dangers.
*Calm Under Pressure: Reduces panic and hesitation during surprise encounters.
*Survivor's Instinct: Slightly improves reaction time when ambushed or outnumbered.
Recycle Cost: 180 GP
Shop Price: 1,100 GP
GP earned: 6 GP
|Would you like to roll another ticket or do something else with this Item?|
Jason watched as a dagger, a scroll, and a skill card materialized in thin air with light surrounding them. The light disappeared, and the items dropped on the bed. Jason watched all this with fascination, looked at the items, and thought about the Blink dagger. The dagger would be useful in CQC, surprise attacks, and as a throwable. The scroll would teach him how to control the energy he has efficiently, which is a universal energy source, so any skill or item requiring a specific type of energy can be used with his energy source. Now, the skill card, Enhanced Situational Awareness, is a game-changer. This skill will help me be aware of my surroundings most of the time for potential danger. These skills and similar skills will be the advantage I need against people who come after me, regardless of who it is."Now, system, roll all the silver tickets."
|🎟️ Silver Ticket Roll – Standard Draw|
🎲 Pull Odds: Common: 50%, Uncommon: 30%, Rare: 12%, Epic: 3%
🎯 Category: Armor, Weapons, Magic, Items, Skills, Toys, Property
🌍 Worlds Included: All infinite worlds, equal odds
🌀 Rolling...
🎉 Rarity Rolled: Uncommon
Item Name: Grapple Glove Prototype
Category: Items
World:Attack on Titan
Description: A simplified prototype inspired by the grappling mechanisms used in omni-directional mobility gear. This glove-mounted launcher fires a reinforced cable with a hooked tip, allowing the user to quickly pull themselves toward buildings, trees, or elevated terrain. While lacking the speed and precision of full ODM gear, it is still extremely useful for traversal and quick repositioning.
Special Effects:
*Rapid Reposition: Instantly pull yourself toward a solid surface within medium range.
*Momentum Assist: Slightly boosts jump height after using the grapple.
*Limited Charges: Can be used 5 times before requiring maintenance or replacement cables.
Recycle Cost: 90 GP
Shop Price: 480 GP
GP earned: 10 GP
|Would you like to roll another ticket or do something else with this Item?|
|🎟️ Silver Ticket Roll – Standard Draw|
🎲 Pull Odds: Common: 50%, Uncommon: 30%, Rare: 12%, Epic: 3%
🎯 Category: Armor, Weapons, Magic, Items, Skills, Toys, Property
🌍 Worlds Included: All infinite worlds, equal odds
🌀 Rolling...
🎉 Rarity Rolled: Rare
Item Name: Twin Fang Hatchets
Category: Weapons
World:God of War
Description: A pair of compact, rune-etched hatchets inspired by the brutal craftsmanship of the Nine Realms. Forged for speed rather than raw power, the Twin Fang Hatchets are designed for aggressive close-range combat. Their curved blades allow for deep, tearing strikes, while the weighted handles make them deadly when thrown and quickly recalled. Faint Norse runes glow along the edges when swung with intent.
Special Effects:
*Dual-Wield Mastery: Increases attack speed by 15% when both hatchets are equipped.
*Returning Throw: Thrown hatchets return to the wielder's hands after a short delay.
*Rending Strike: Consecutive hits apply a stacking bleed effect (minor damage over time).
Recycle Cost: 150 GP
Shop Price: 900 GP
GP earned: 18 GP
|Would you like to roll another ticket or do something else with this Item?|
The items appeared with light surrounding them, and then the light slowly started to disappear, as the items dropped on the bed with the rest of the items after the light completely vanished. Jason looked at the grapple glove and the twin hatchets, as they would be useful in many ways. The glove, for example, works like a grapple is supposed to; it can also pull enemies to him or pull him to them, but this glove can only be used five times before it requires maintenance or replacement cables, which I would probably buy from the shop. The Hatchets, which are CQC weapons, are built for speed, and they can be thrown and can return to the user's hands, and has a stacking bleeding effect on enemies. They can be used at close range and medium range." Roll the gold ticket."
|🎟️ Gold Ticket Roll – Standard Draw|
🎲 Pull Odds: Common: 35%, Uncommon: 30%, Rare: 20%, Epic: 10%, Legendary: 4%, Mystic: 1%,
🎯 Categories Included: Armor, Weapons, Magic, Items, Skills, Toys, Property
🌍 Worlds Included: All infinite worlds, equal odds
🌀 Rolling...
🎉 Rarity Rolled: Epic
Item Name: Aetherstep Boots
Category: Armor
World:The Legend of Zelda
Description: Ancient Sheikah-crafted boots infused with condensed aether energy. When worn, faint blue runes glow along the soles, allowing the user to move with unnatural speed and precision. These boots were designed for elite scouts tasked with traversing dangerous ruins, cliffs, and battlefields in the blink of an eye.
Special Effects:
*Aetherstep: Grants short-range burst dashes (up to 3 charges, recharges over time, 10 min).
*Fall Negation: Negates fall damage from moderate heights.
*Enhanced Agility: Increases movement speed and dodge effectiveness by 20%.
Recycle Cost: 650 GP
Shop Price: 3,800 GP
GP earned: GP
|Would you like to roll another ticket or do something else with this Item?|
The Boots materialized on the bed. The boots were good; they could help with traveling on the building rooftops, can cancel fall damage from buildings of a few floor levels, and grants speed bursts 3 times, which can be helpful in repositioning in combat.
Jason didn't rush. He thought about the city outside. About the kind of future he might want or need to build. About being careful, cautious. About staying hidden from paranoid people that he knew about. About choosing when to step forward in the light.
When he finally rolled all the tickets, he did so without ceremony. The results appeared, were acknowledged, were thought about, and then were quietly stored away in his head. He picked up the items and placed them into the inventory without activating anything, without testing limits. Tonight wasn't the time.
Tomorrow would come soon enough."Status."
Status
Username: Jason Matthew
Age: 17
Level: 1 (0/100)
Race: [Human]
HP: 415 /ENE: 310[2]
VIT: 10
STR: 10
END: 10
DEX: 10
AGI: 10
PER: 10
INT: 10
WIS: 10
LCK: ??? (Obscured)
Stat Points: 0
Gacha Points: 100 GP
Skills: [1 skill]
Character Card: [Empty]
Inventory: [0 regular items] [5 ticket items]
Quest: [0 in progress]
Available Tickets: [0 Bronze] [0 Silver] [1 Gold] [0 Platinum]
Satisfied with everything, Jason dismissed the interface, set his alarm for 6:30, and lay back on the bed. The city lulled him to sleep once more, unaware of the quiet shift that had already begun.
[1] HP = (Vit × 30) + (Str × 10) + (Lvl × 15) / MP = (Int × 25) + (Per × 5) + (Lvl × 10)
[2] HP = (Vit × 30) + (Str × 10) + (Lvl × 15) / MP = (Int × 25) + (Per × 5) + (Lvl × 10)