🌗 Chapter 3: Gacha, Nastiness, and the First Plus
"When you're three years old and you're pulling out your first "lotbox" from fate, it would be better if there was at least a lollipop in there. And not… a cucumber hat."
đź“Ť Konoha. Morning. Three years later.
A quiet house in one of Konoha's poor districts.
On the floor, there are two mattresses.
On the first, a fair-haired boy is sprawled out in his sleep: Naruto.
On the second, Hirito Uzumaki, covered with a blanket, is looking at the ceiling.
— So… today I'm three years old.
Which means… the system should activate.
Suddenly, a window appears before my eyes:
đź”” [Welcome, Hirito Uzumaki. The Destiny Progression System has been activated.]
🎰 Annual gacha giveaway #1 is available.
Number of attempts: 10.
Warning: 90% chance of getting useless garbage.
Good luck, mortal.
— …Now that's encouraging, damn it, — thought Hirito, getting up from the mattress. — Even the universe apologizes in advance.
He mentally clicked:
[Start the giveaway.]
Giveaway 1:
You got: "Moldy Ejection Slipper (hits 1.5 meters)".
— …WHAT?
Giveaway 2:
You got: "Phantom smell of dumplings. Only you feel it. Hunger intensifies."
— …Seriously?! What is this, torture?!
Giveaway 3:
You got: "The ability to quickly count... but only the number of flies in the room."
—Well, at least I'll level up my perception skills...
The other 6 were even worse. One item even turned out to be "Sarutobi Hiruzen's Rubber Wig" with the caption: "Don't trust old people."
Draw 10
🌟 Congratulations! You received: "Illusory Body: Invisibility for 10 seconds. 1 use per day."
— …Hmm. Not bad. This is already a real advantage.
Especially if I'm stealing food. Or avoiding the Anbu when I put a frog in Iruka's ramen.
Konoha Orphanage. Lots of kids. Little food.
Hirito is quiet, observant. He already understood how people work.
— If you smile, they trust you.
— If you're silent, they fear you.
— If you're smart, pretend to be stupid.
Otherwise, they'll be afraid and throw you out.
Naruto, meanwhile, runs around screaming, rushing around, knocking over a vase, getting hit on the head.
— I'm going to be Hokage-e-e-e-e!
Hirito is writing diagrams on paper: how to get to the dining room at night without stepping on the creaky boards.
— I just need to survive, brother...
Night. Hirito, activating "Illusory Body", sneaks up to the cookie warehouse.
— So... ten seconds. One, two, three—
CLICK!
— WHAT THE...
From the darkness:
— Oh, hello, Hirito, — says Iruka, standing with a lantern. — Do you think we didn't notice how you disappeared? We're sensors, boy.
— ...Smile number seven. Disarming.
Hirito smiles widely.
— You wanted cookies when you were a kid, too, right?..
Iruka turns away.
— One pack. And so that no one sees.
— Victory.
Kuramo's dark chakra slowly pulses in the depths of Hirito's consciousness. There is a lot of it... but it is quiet.
- You are not trying to use me, boy.
- And you are not breaking away. Normal neighbors do not bother each other.
- Hm. Nice. But remember: you are not alone. You are a vessel.
- And you are a roommate. If you do not shit in the chakra corridor, we will get along.
Hirito took the first step.
His abilities are far from legendary. But even one invisibility per day is a chance.
He is in no hurry to become a hero.
He is observing. Remembering. Building.
And when the time comes, he will not just shoot. He will blow up.