"Beginner's gift pack? Open it!"
The moment the system's voice echoed in his mind, Lock made his decision without hesitation.
[Opening... Congratulations, Host. You have received a B-Rank Lottery Ticket. Entering System Space...]
As the cold, mechanical tone rang in his ears, the world around him froze.
Everything lost its color, turning transparent and blue.
The falling ornament hung motionless in midair.
Jiro Kyoka's terrified face was suspended in time.
Even Lock's own body, lunging forward, was frozen mid-motion.
He found himself standing alone in that azure void, as if his soul had stepped out of his body.
"Is… is time stopped?" he murmured.
[Host, this is the System Space. You can think of it as your mind operating tens of millions of times faster than reality.]
Lock nodded slowly. The setup reminded him of the "accelerated world" concept from his previous life's fiction.
But that wasn't important right now.
He had to figure out how to stop the falling debris.
"What does a B-Rank lottery mean?"
In response, a translucent screen appeared before his eyes. On it were countless familiar figures from Fairy Tail.
[This System's primary functions are Lottery and Exchange. It records every type of magic wielded by all wizards from Fairy Tail and aims to cultivate you, Host, into the most versatile and powerful mage!]
Lock took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm his pounding heart and listen carefully.
Outside, his real body was still frozen mid-dive. He looked awkward, unbalanced.
If time resumed right now, he'd probably trip and fall before he even reached Kyoka.
"There are four categories of magic," the System continued. "Super Magic, Lost Magic, Forbidden Magic, and Ordinary Magic."
"Super, Lost, and Forbidden Magics can only be acquired through the Exchange Function."
"A B-Rank lottery guarantees one Ordinary Magic."
"An A-Rank lottery grants three Ordinary Magics."
"An S-Rank lottery grants every Ordinary Magic mastered by one specific mage—guaranteed to be at least three."
Lock lowered his head, recalling Fairy Tail's magic system.
Super Magic—legendary spells of overwhelming power, like the Three Great Magics of the Fairy Tail Guild.
Lost Magic—ancient techniques that vanished from the world, such as Dragon Slayer Magic used by Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel.
Forbidden Magic—spells so powerful they carried devastating side effects, like Ur's "Iced Shell," which erased the caster from existence.
Each of these categories shared one trait: their destructive potential far exceeded normal spells.
So it made sense that they required special conditions to obtain.
Still, Lock was more than satisfied with a chance to draw even Ordinary Magic.
Ordinary Magic included everything outside those three categories—and many of those were still incredibly powerful.
Kildarts' Crushing Magic.
Mirajane's Take Over.
Lucy's Celestial Spirit Magic.
Erza's Requip.
Gray's Ice-Make.
"Even if it's Ordinary Magic, it's more than enough right now," Lock muttered. "So… System, what exactly are the Exchange Function and Lottery Chances? How do I earn more draws?"
[Exchange requires Fame Points. The Host's social popularity will automatically convert into measurable Fame Points.]
[As for Lottery Chances, the System will issue missions tied to the events of this world—or to your personal experiences—and reward them accordingly.]
"I see…"
Lock focused on the corner of his interface.
In the lower right, a number flickered: 500 Fame Points.
Apparently, he wasn't starting from zero.
But that was odd. He hadn't done anything to earn recognition here—he didn't write manga, sing, or do anything public.
Then again, this was a world where Heroes were professional icons. In a society built around Quirks and Heroism, fame came most easily to Pro Heroes.
Twice a year, Japan's "Hero Billboard Chart" ranked them by popularity and performance.
It was one of the most widely discussed topics in the country—everyone, from children to the elderly, followed it.
Lock realized where his own 500 Fame Points came from.
They weren't his at all.
They belonged to his late parents—both once Pro Heroes.
…
With that, he had a decent grasp of the System's functions.
Time to draw.
If it meant saving Jiro Kyoka—or even just destroying that falling ornament—it didn't matter what magic he got.
"Use the B-Rank Lottery Ticket!"
At his command, the Fairy Tail characters on the screen began to spin rapidly.
[Commencing B-Rank Lottery… Congratulations, Host. You have obtained "God's Foot" Magic from Sorusuke!]
['God's Foot': An Ordinary Magic that channels magical power into the feet, greatly enhancing speed.]
The moment the draw completed, memories surged into Lock's mind—techniques, sensations, and battle experience.
Sorusuke, also known as Jet, was a member of Fairy Tail's "Shadow Gear" team.
His specialty, "God's Foot," was speed magic. Though his strength ranked low in the guild, his running speed was unmatched.
In the guild's annual 24-hour endurance race, he was always the reigning champion.
Of course, whether he kept that record after seven years was another matter.
But for Lock, this magic couldn't have been more perfect.
"The timing couldn't be better!" he said, eyes lighting up with fierce determination.
[Sub-Mission Triggered: Save Jiro Kyoka. Reward: One B-Rank Lottery Ticket.]
As the final mechanical message faded, Lock's surroundings shifted again.
Color flooded back into the world. Time began to flow once more.
The falling ornament plummeted toward Jiro's frozen figure, its shadow swallowing her whole.
But this time, Lock's stance was steady.
Magic gathered around his legs, flooding down into his feet.
"God's Foot!"
He spoke the words clearly—
And a glowing blue magic circle bloomed beneath him, intricate symbols whirling across its surface.
A powerful wind burst outward, stirring the air around him—
Then Lock moved, his body blurring forward faster than lightning.