I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. Which, considering I'd literally fallen from space just a while back, was probably the best I could ask for.
Everything was blurry, and for a second I thought I'd somehow damaged my eyes during the whole 'crashing into a pocket dimension at terminal velocity' thing. Great. Add blindness to my list of problems right after 'A power-house enemy wants me dead' and 'stuck in a universe where people punch through planets.'
Then a hand appeared in my vision, offering what looked like glasses.
I took them, put them on, and everything snapped into focus.
Nakime was there, still in that respectful bow, her single eye with its carved kanji watching me patiently. Her hand was still extended in that offering gesture, like she'd been waiting for me to wake up just to hand me glasses.
"Did I need glasses before?" I asked, my voice hoarse.
And then it snapped "Right my 'Four Eyes' curse. I seriously need to stop forgetting shit."
The gacha giveth, and the gacha maketh you need prescription lenses. At least I could see clearly now, albeit with glasses.
I looked around the room, still that luxurious feudal lord aesthetic. Silk sheets rippled like water across the bed. Century-old wooden furnishings and massive carved ceiling beams spoke of master craftsmanship. Pristine tatami mats carried the fresh scent of cut grass, likely replaced by Nakime, while shoji screens softened the light into a warm amber glow. The whole room was screaming Royal Fortune.
[Image Here]
"Where's Puar?"
"The small one returned to her resting place shortly after you fell asleep, Master. She said if she got the chance, she'd be back to play with us again." Nakime's voice was barely above a whisper, with a respectful tone she probably used with Muzan.
Then the memories grew clearer in waves. My death in Viktor's warehouse, the bullet through my skull. Meeting RNGesus in that Pachinko Parlour. Spinning the World Wheel and landing on Invincible of all places. The Curse Wheel hitting Severity 18 and giving me a mortal enemy. Falling through space like a golden comet. That last-second pull summoning Puar to save me from becoming a splatter on the castle wall.
And then another notification appeared:
[Feat Achieved! Draw attention of Global Defense Agency]
[Reward: +1 Silver Random Gacha Ticket]
[Feat Achieved! Survive your First day in the Invincible world]
[Reward: +1 Silver Random Gacha Ticket]
I stared at it. "How the hell did they notice me already?"
Then again, a man falling from space in a golden trail of energy, opening a giant tatami gate mid-atmosphere and disappearing probably wasn't exactly subtle. From what I remember about the Global Defense Agency, they are people who monitored superhuman threats and kept tabs on Aliens, and had probably been the ones to spot me. Of course they had. Cecil probably had a file on me already, cross-referencing me with every alien threat in their database.
Great. Just great. Day one and I'd already painted a target on my back for both the superhero community AND whoever my mortal enemy was going to be.
I got up from the bed, but before I could even take a step forward, a sudden sting ran through my brain like someone jabbed an ice pick into my skull. My eyes locked onto the messy bed. The rumpled sheets, askew pillow and blanket twisted at the wrong angle.
It felt wrong. My skin crawled and that itch in my brain intensified, spreading down my spine, demanding I fix it, now.
My hands moved on their own, tucking corners, smoothing wrinkles, adjusting angles until the bed looked like it belonged in a hotel magazine.
Nakime looked horrified.
She immediately prostrated herself, her forehead touching the floor. "This one begs forgiveness, Master! I failed to realize my duty! I should have prepared the bed in proper fashion! Please, allow me-"
She practically lunged at the bed, and within seconds had it remade with experience that came from centuries of serving Demon King who'd probably kill you for getting a wrinkle wrong.
I stared at my hands, then at the bed, then at Nakime who was still bowing apologetically.
"So this is the neat freak curse," I muttered. The compulsion was an actual mental itch that wouldn't go away until things were organized. "Nakime, keep everything organized and tidy in my room and wherever possible, but no need to go all out on an infinity-sized castle. We'd be cleaning forever."
"I will remember Master's first true command," Nakime said, bowing even deeper.
I looked down at myself and winced. My blue suit, the one I'd been wearing when I died, was in tatters. Ripped at the seams, burned at the edges, barely holding together. I was honestly glad that was the only damage. Could've been worse. Could've arrived naked from space.
"Is there a bathing room?" I asked. "And some decent clothes that aren't in tatters?"
Nakime plucked her biwa with one hand and a tatami door slid open to my left, revealing an indoor hot spring. Steam rose from the water, and I could see traditional Japanese bath fixtures, wooden buckets, the whole aesthetic.
I'd been to Japan on annual trips back when my family still claimed me, visited actual hot springs in Hakone and Beppu. This looked just as good, maybe better. A permanent hot spring bath in my pocket dimension?
'Hell yeah!'
I walked toward the bath, already pulling off my destroyed jacket, when I stopped short of removing my underwear.
I turned my head slightly and saw her in the middle of undressing, her black kimono already loosened, the obi coming undone as her pale cold skin glistened in the lantern lights.
"Nakime," I said calmy, or I hope so, "What are you doing?"
She stopped, looking confused. "It's a servant's duty to attend and cleanse her Master, is it not?"
"No, no, NO," I said quickly, holding up my hands. "This is not feudal times. Just get my clothes ready and get out."
She looked momentarily puzzled but she bowed and exited through another tatami door that appeared at her biwa's command.
I finally exhaled.
Look, I wasn't some shy virgin simp who'd never seen a woman before. The Fake family had thrown enough galas and parties that I'd seen plenty. But this felt wrong. The power dynamic between me and my familiars was already completely lopsided: absolute loyalty, unable to refuse orders and bound to serve. Taking advantage of that, even if she was offering, didn't sit right with me.
I had enough problems without adding 'skeevy master who abuses his servants' to the list.
I stripped down and sank into the hot spring with a groan. The heat hit like a wave, seeping into muscles I didn't know were tense. Steam rose around me, carrying that mineral smell you only get from natural springs. The water was almost too hot at first, but my body adjusted and then it was perfect.
The ache in my shoulders started to unwind. The tension in my neck loosened. Even the lingering fear from the space fall began to fade, replaced by the simple animal comfort of warmth and water.
"This was exactly what I needed."
After soaking for a few minutes, I took inventory.
One Silver ticket from attracting GDA attention. One Gold ticket from surviving the fall from space, "Tch, that miser bastard's only gave Gold when I'd literally survived space re-entry."
And the Modified Compound V still sitting in my item storage, waiting to be used.
Then I remembered the mortal enemy curse and I could only sigh.
I needed to prepare. Needed to use every card I had before that enemy showed up.
This was the moment. One more spin, one more pull, one more chance at power. The itch was back, that same familiar feeling from the warehouse, from every bet I had ever made. Just one more. It was always just one more chance.
So, still in the bath, I mentally pulled up my first Silver ticket and tore it.
The gacha spun.
[Impulse]
|Uncommon Ability|
Allows you to quicken the electrical signals in your body, increasing your reflexes and speed proportionally. Overusing may cause nerve damage.
My nerves suddenly heated up, pain shooting through my entire body like someone ran electricity through my veins. I gritted my teeth, ready to scream, but before it became unbearable, the heat cooled instantly, settling into something manageable.
I could feel it now the ability to amplify signals between my nerves and speed up my reactions. I quickly slotted it in and tested it, making mudras and hand signs at near blind speed, moving my eyes at incredible speed to track my own hands.
It fucking worked. My reflexes were faster and my perception sharper.
But after a while of messing around, both my eyes and fingers heated up, that warning sign of overuse. I had to stop before I fried my nervous system.
So, that's the limit. Couldn't spam it indefinitely. But in close-quarters combat, it could come in clutch to save my life.
Then I tore up the second silver ticket.
[Blademaster]
|Rare Ability|
Unordinary - Allows you to create a variety of blades made of energy, ranging from throwing knives, katanas, sabers, large greatswords, etc. while also providing a minor strength boost.
A painful current ran through my mind, like someone was downloading a file directly into my brain. Information flooded in - different types of blades, construction techniques, how to mold my energy into shapes, whatever the hell that meant.
"Fuck yeah!" I yelped, actually excited for once. My first offensive ability. Finally. I wouldn't just be the useless young master hiding behind his demon servant while she did all the work.
I focused, and on pure instinct, a small six-inch blade materialized in my hand. Silver energy, crackling and sharp-looking, like something out of an anime. It felt right, natural, like my body had always known how to do this.
As I tried to increase it's size my stomach churned loudly as the blade dispersed, seem like the 'energy' they were talking about aremy calories.
Which meant if I spammed this ability too much, I'd literally starve myself to death. Great. Another limitation to keep track of. Between the neat freak compulsion, the glasses, the nerve damage from Impulse, and now energy blades that ran on my metabolism, I was collecting drawbacks like Pokemon.
Now for the Gold ticket.
In a good mood I tore it mentally, and the gacha rolled again.
[Zero Gravity]
|Uncommon Ability|
Your body moves as if it is in a zero-gravity environment, allowing you to freely float, although without much control.
I felt my connection to a fundamental force suddenly sever.
And there I was floating above the bath. With my junk hanging down.
With absolutely no control over my movement.
"What the-" I tried to turn, to orient myself, but this was way harder than it looked. I flailed, spun slowly and helplessly like an astronaut who'd let go of their tether.
I switched the ability off.
Gravity reasserted itself immediately, and I fell arse-first onto the spring's stone base with a painful THUD.
"OW, OW, OW!" I yelped, clutching my ass. That was going to bruise.
Then another notification appeared.
[5 Abilities Collected! 2nd Ability Slot Added]
All the pain vanished from my mind.
Two ability slots. Which meant my Call to Arms ability could now pull from the Silver familiar pool instead of just Bronze.
"Time to Trade up, huh."
And more importantly, I could use Polymerization and Call to Arms at the same time now. Could summon a familiar and fuse with it for a power boost.
The build was coming together.
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