"Hey, you! So you finally showed up, huh? I've been waiting for you for five years. Waiting for you to die, actually, since the day you coma. You're stubborn as hell."
A beautiful young woman floated right in front of him, smiling brightly. Dressed in an all-white gown, her flawless skin made her look more like an elf fairy than a grim reaper.
Besides, no demon had a breast that big.
"Hey! Watch your eyes!" the fairy snapped, clearly aware of where his thoughts were drifting.
Johan let out a long sigh. "If you're here to send me to hell, just do it."
"Me? Sending you to hell?" The girl pointed at herself and blinked a few times. "So, I look like a grim reaper to you?"
Johan shrugged. "Don't I get to ask that back?"
"The nerve! There's no way a grim reaper would look this pretty. Geez, you're starting to annoy me!"
"You appeared out of nowhere while I was dying," Johan replied calmly. "You didn't introduce yourself, didn't explain who you are. What exactly am I supposed to think you are?"
"Ah, right. I almost forgot that part." She straightened up. "My name is Airen. I'm your assistant angel, starting now and forever. Nice to meet you!"
She bowed politely.
"They've already told me a lot about you, so let's skip the small talk and get straight to the point."
"They?"
Airen nodded. "It's hard to explain who they are. But basically, they're divine beings who watch human lives from afar. Including yours. They're also the ones who've been shaping your story all this time."
She smiled. "They've invested a lot in you, you know."
"Bunch of b*stards," Johan muttered. "They turned my life into entertainment?"
Airen chuckled softly. "You'll understand eventually. What matters right now is keeping you alive."
"And how are you planning to do that?" Johan asked, uninterested.
"By giving you a system, of course."
"A system?"
"Like the ones in those movies you watch, Johan."
Johan took a deep breath. A deathbed hallucination, huh. Fine. He'd play along.
"Interesting. What kind of luck are you giving me?"
"Uh… actually, neither you nor I get to decide that. So I can't answer."
"Then who does? Them?"
Airen shook her head. "Nope. Not them either."
"Then who?"
She smilled, "Your own luck."
"…"
"You'll gacha your system yourself," Airen explained. "Whether it's good or trash depends entirely on your luck. Even the divine beings have no authority here."
She spread her arms. Thousands of holographic panels appeared around them.
"Each panel can grant you a reward. A trait, an item, a blessing… or absolutely nothing."
She snapped her fingers. The panels rushed together, forming a circular wheel with a red arrow at its center. A gacha disk.
"Spin for luck, Master. Since you've killed 6,045 people with your own hands, you get six spins. Don't waste them, alright?"
"I've killed that many?" Johan coughed lightly. "No shit."
He paused. "By the way, you said those 'divine beings' invested heavily in me, right?"
"Yup," Airen nodded. "They're gambling right now at the heavenly table. You're their favorite piece. They even call you the 'True God of War.' They're betting that you'll defeat your enemies no matter the odds."
For God's sake… I'm a gambling chip to them.
"Then pass this message to them," Johan said coldly. "One last time before I play their insane game."
"Say it."
"Save my mother."
Airen didn't answer right away. Doubt was clear on her face.
"Those divine beings… they're extremely stubborn, twice than yourself. They won't listen—"
"Then I won't listen either," Johan cut in. "I won't spin anything. I won't follow your rules. Not until I know my mother will survive."
Airen sighed. "Just like they said. You're a real pain…"
She hesitated, then nodded.
"Wait here. I'll help as much as I can. Don't expect miracles."
Her body vanished for a few seconds before she returned, looking even more conflicted.
"They agreed to give you a one-time item that can save your mother. But..."
"...you'll have to pay for it with—"
"Deal."
Airen blinked, surprised he agreed before hearing the condition, then nodded.
"Then it's settled. Your mother will live."
Johan exhaled deeply. "Now we're talking."
"One of your spins has been consumed, Master. Five to go. Use them wisely. There's no guarantee you'll get SSR skills or items."
Johan nodded. "Spin it, Airen."
The wheel spun violently, kicking up fierce winds.
Johan stared at it. For the first time in a long while, he made a wish.
Five spins. Five wins.
Luck had carried him this far. It would carry him further.
The wheel slowed, then stopped. A green panel landed under the red arrow.
DING!
[You have obtained an item!]
[ITEM INFO:
Name: Tactical Wine Bottle
Rarity: F
Bound: Yes
Durability: ∞
Weight: 0.9 kg
Content: Red Wine (∞)
Properties:
This bottle cannot be destroyed by any means. As long as it is tilted, wine will continuously pour out without ever running dry. The content cannot be replaced or altered. The only way to stop the flow is to close the bottle.]
"WHAT THE—"
"This…"
Airen coughed awkwardly.
"A Tactical Wine Bottle, huh? Well… it's not bad. At least you won't die of thirst on the battlefield."
"ARE YOU F*CKING INSANE?!"
Johan almost threw up blood. How could his first pull be this trash?
An infinite magazine. An RPG. Anything useful.
But instead…
A wine bottle?
What the hell was he supposed to do with unlimited wine?
"Please don't blame me," Airen said nervously. "It's all up to your luck, remember? Four to go. Ready?"
"Spin it."
The wheel spun again.
DING!
[You have obtained a trait!]
[TRAIT INFO:
Name: War Survivor's Guilt
Type: Passive
Rarity: A
Status: Permanent · Unremovable
Effect:
The more people die around you, the sharper your focus becomes. This trait does not enhance adrenaline. Side effects such as nausea, insomnia, or increased appetite may occur after prolonged use.]
Johan had no words. Not good. Not bad.
"So-so, huh?" Airen said. "We'll think about it later. Next?"
"Spin."
The cursed gambling wheel spun again.
Fifteen seconds.
Longer than before.
It slowed.
TICK… TICK… TICK…
The arrow stopped on a bright gold panel.
DING!
[You have obtained a skill!]
[SKILL INFO:
Name: Micro-Trajectory Prediction
Type: Active
Rarity: SSS
Bound: Yes
Activation: Manual
Range: ≤10 meters (Upgradeable)
Effect:
Allows your brain to calculate the direction and trajectory of fast-moving objects at close range, such as bullets, shrapnel, or thrown weapons, granting reaction speed fractions of a second faster than a normal human. Does not detect invisible attacks, does not reveal enemy intent, and will completely fail under extreme fatigue or stress.]
"WOW! Your first SSS pull!" Airen clapped. "Nice luck, Master!"
"Not bad," Johan said. "But still not enough to be called SSS."
"Oh my," Airen shook her head. "You really don't know how to be grateful. Two to go. Better hope luck stays on your side."
"Spin it."
DING!
[You have obtained an item!]
[ITEM INFO:
Name: Compass of Retreat
Rarity: D
Durability: High
Weight: 0.3 kg
Function: Directional Guidance
Properties:
This compass does not point to objectives, enemies, or resources. Instead, it always indicates the safest available route at the moment. The direction may change depending on environmental conditions. It never guides the user toward confrontation or high risk.]
Johan stared at the panel.
"Even though it's only D-rank, this item is extremely useful on the battlefield. If you're cornered, you can retreat and—"
"Run away like a coward?" Johan snapped.
Airen fell silent under his gaze.
It was deep. Dark.
Not burning with revenge like before.
She realized something.
This man… carried a heavy past.
"Useless item. I'll never run again. Not ever."
Johan shook his head.
"One spin left, right? Come on. Do it properly. I'm sick of this broken system," he said.
"As you wish. This is the last spin."
The wheel spun once more.
Every second felt heavy.
He needed another SSS.
With what he had now, it wasn't enough.
TICK.
TICK.
TICK.
DING!
[You have obtained an item!]
[ITEM INFO:
Name: Rusted War God Token
Type: Relic
Rarity: N/A
Durability: Low
Weight: 0.2 kg
Condition: Corroded
Properties:
Due to missing records in the Heavenly Library, this rusted metal token has no clearly identified function and cannot be repaired by any means. Its presence tends to attract dangerous situations and conflicts of varying scale. It appears to react to high physical sacrifice, though the extent is unknown. Good luck.]
Johan choked.
"The Heavenly Library lost information about this item? And you still call it a heavenly library?!"
Airen scratched her neck. "Well… leadership's been messy. Ten thousand years ago, the librarian fell asleep, then boom, somebody decide to burnt the building. We lost most of the records."
"THE HEAVENLY LIBRARIAN FELL ASLEEP?!"
"Hey! Angels aren't that different from humans!"
Johan couldn't smile at any of this. He didn't manage to bring home much good.
"One SSS skill. The rest is garbage.
"Unlimited wine. A coward's compass. And a useless relic.
"Luck has abandoned me.
"From now on, I rely on myself."
Airen clapped once.
"Since you've used all your spins, it's time to return to reality.
"Your mother is inside an air capsule protecting her from the ocean pressure. But it's temporary. You need to get her to the surface before it bursts.
"All items are stored in your spatial inventory. Just think of one, and it'll appear in your hand."
Airen touched his shoulder, smiling softly.
"Do your best, Master. Out of millions of contestants across the cosmos, I chose you."
"So, is this goodbye?" Johan asked.
"Haha but not yet." Airen laughed. "I'm your support angel. I'll stay close. I won't let you go."
When her fingers brushed his face, Johan felt himself dragged by a massive force. Airen's body turned into light, fading away.
"Huh…"
When Johan opened his eyes, his chest felt crushed, like ten elephants sitting on him at once.
Only deep blue darkness surrounded him.
He realized where he was.
"F*CK! This damn anchor is still dragging me to the ocean floor!"