(??? – ???)
"Where… am I?" My voice echoes into nothingness.
I open my eyes to a vast, endless void. There's no sky, no stars, not even a floor… and yet, somehow, I'm lying on something solid. The black expanse stretches in every direction, as though devouring light itself.
And before I can truly take it in, a sharp pain cuts through my skull.
I clutch my head, teeth grinding as a mind-splitting headache tears into me. My body curls in on itself on the invisible floor as I ride out the agony, breath hitching in sharp, uneven bursts.
Time loses meaning in the dark. Whether my pain lasted seconds, minutes, or hours… I'm not sure.
But eventually, the pain recedes enough for me to breathe.
"Fuck my life." I groan, rolling onto my back and staring into the empty abyss.
"It happens every time one of them shows up." A voice—curious, almost amused—cuts through the silence.
I jolt upright. "Who's there?!" I shout, spinning in place to find the source, and I only see the void staring back.
"Calm down." A second voice speaks now, flatter and distinctly bored. "If we meant you harm, you'd already be dead… well, remain dead."
'There are two of them… and… I'm dead?' My stomach sinks as faint memories bubble up through the fog blanketing my mind.
"I got hit…" I mutter. "By a truck?"
"Classic, right?" The first voice laughs, clapping what I can only imagine are nonexistent hands. "Truck-kun strikes again! You should be grateful it was actually him. Any other truck would've just killed ya."
I go quiet, letting the fact that I died in such a stupid way sink in.
"People usually scream or cry at this part." The lively voice continues. "You're kinda killing the mood just standing there."
"Forgive me." I say dryly, rolling my eyes. "I didn't know I was supposed to break down over my death."
"Hmm… You're forgiven." The voice chirps. "Be more shocked next time."
My eyes twitch at his response, and out of spite, I ignore him, being as boring as possible.
"Regardless, you couldn't have avoided it no matter what you did." The second voice adds calmly. "Think of it as fate. Even if you stayed home, it would've found you."
"…Great." I exhale slowly. "So… what now?" I glance around the void again. "And what should I call you two?"
"You can call me Z." The energetic voice says proudly.
"N." The other replies simply. "As for what happens next… you'll be transmigrated with a powerful ability. I'm sure you've read enough of such stories to understand."
I nod. 'That's much better than being dead. It could be worse than dying depending on…'
"Where am I getting sent to?" I ask. "Do I get to choose?"
"Yes." N says.
"No." Z says at the same time.
A short silence stretches between them.
Then Z clears his throat dramatically. "Ahem. Like I said—nope. It's not your call." I can practically hear the grin in his tone.
'Whatever credibility Z had is officially gone.'
"Is that true, N?" I ask.
A long, tired sigh answers me.
"Yes… and no." N says. "As with many things in your future, it will be left to chance."
A knot forms in my chest. "What do you mean by that…?"
"Brace yourself." Z says cheerfully.
Before I can respond—
"Agh!"
Pain slams into my skull again as a torrent of knowledge floods my mind. Symbols, concepts, rules… way too much to grasp all at once. It feels like someone took all of Wikipedia, compiled it into a book, before smashing that book against my head.
When it finally stops, I barely manage to stay standing.
"…Chaos…" I mutter, the words unconsciously slipping out. "…Gacha?"
Their meaning comes to me as I speak them, and my stomach drops.
'This ability is too unstable.' I think, immediately unraveling its pros and cons.
Simply put, it's a multiversal Gacha.
With "tickets," I can roll for anything—abilities, traits, items… even knowledge. Pulled from anywhere across existence, with no real upper or lower limit depending on the ticket's tier.
'It all depends on what I draw.'
Tickets come in tiers. Bronze. Silver. Gold. Platinum. Diamond. Legendary. Mythical. Divine.
Each with their own upper and lower limits.
'On the bright side, using a divine ticket guarantees a powerful draw.' I think. 'But a bronze ticket won't give me anything strong.'
It's a balanced system, where, given enough tickets, anyone can become strong, no matter how bad their luck.
I exhale slowly. 'At least the power itself isn't weak.'
Compared to most "cheats," it's insanely powerful.
'Acquiring tickets is the actual problem.'
Tickets require feats. Actual accomplishments that, depending on their magnitude, determine its tier.
Bronze is something any ordinary person can do while still being impressive. Pickpocketing ten people in a row without getting caught is an example.
Silver might require killing a bear barehanded.
Gold could involve defeating something capable of leveling city blocks.
As for the higher tiers… they're too unachievable for my current self to even entertain.
And worse—
Each feat grants tickets only once, and feats are determined by your current capabilities.
It's a system that prevents exploitation, making you work for every bit of power you get.
My thoughts are cut off by Z's voice.
"Are you done yet?" His tone echoes through the void, impatient and buzzing with energy. "Doesn't matter. You can figure out the rest on your own time. Let's see where you're being sent."
He sounds way too excited, which sets off every alarm in my head.
"Hold on!" I call out quickly.
"What?" Z snaps. "You're stalling."
Unstable. Dangerous. Bored.
That's how I'd describe him.
I choose my words carefully.
"Look, I'm fine leaving the destination to chance…" I say, keeping my voice even. "But what if I end up somewhere I die instantly? That'd be no fun for either of us. It'd be boring for you, and well… I'd be dead… again."
There's a moment of tense silence, before Z hums.
"That would be boring… and it'd have been a huge waste of effort." He muses. "But also kind of funny."
'That's my life you're talking about, you bastard!' I bite back the urge to curse him out.
"If what you want is something entertaining…" I say. "Then how about we make a deal?"
As the words leave my mouth, the void tightens.
"You think you're qualified to negotiate with us?" Z's voice drops, and a heavy pressure hits me all at once, like reality banded together to crush me.
Cold sweat trickles down my spine.
One wrong word and let alone transmigration… I'd be erased from existence.
But I don't flinch and stand my ground, trying to seem calm even as I feel my bones creak.
'He won't kill me just for asking, right?'
Everyone wants something.
Z's chaotic, reckless, impatient tone makes it obvious…
He wants spectacle.
He wants fun.
'If I can sell him a better show than random death… I win.'
If not…
N might interfere… or he might not.
So far, he seems uninterested in this whole thing. Counting on him would be a coin flip.
But it's still better odds than trusting whatever Z had in store for me.
Finally—
"But…" Z says slowly, amusement curling into his words. "You've caught my interest."
A grin practically bleeds into his voice.
"What's your offer?"
I let out a slow breath as the pressure eases, but I don't relax.
"A bet." I say carefully. "Between us."
"Oh?" Z's tone perks up.
"Let me choose the world I go to…" I continue. "And I guarantee you long-term entertainment."
"Guarantee?" Z hums. "That's a big promise. I doubt you'll be able to keep it."
"And how do I make sure you don't get boring?" He adds lightly. "If things ever get dull… I'll just reshuffle reality a bit. Make it exciting again. You won't mind, right?"
Even if it was phrased as a question, I know I'm in far too deep to refuse.
"Of course not." I say with a thin smile. "I only ask for two conditions."
Z's voice sharpens. "You're making conditions now?"
"They're for your sake." I reply smoothly. "Without them, it'll lose impact. If a game has infinite money, it becomes dull. But if you wait until you're truly bored… anticipation builds, and the payoff feels better. You'll be much more engaged, and hence, entertained."
"Hmm… that makes sense, I suppose." Z mutters. "Continue."
I swallow. 'Is Bullshit-No-Jutsu actually working?!'
"For the first condition… when you do intervene, don't hurt or tear me away from people I care about. And second… only do it once."
Silence.
For a moment, I think I pushed too far.
Then—
"Hah."
Z laughs, bright and amused. "You're bold. I like that."
"Hm." N finally speaks. "He's not wrong. You would abuse it if there were no limit."
"Tch, traitor."
"I know how you are." N replies flatly. "Besides, this all assumes his choice of world will actually entertain you."
Z's attention snaps back to me. "Fair point! So… what world do you want?"
"I was thinking of sending you to Berserk." Z adds cheerfully. "There's lots of fun to be had there."
'I knew it… he wants me to die a gruesome death.'
I force my voice to remain steady, despite my mounting anger. "Rosario + Vampire."
Z goes quiet.
"I'd be human." I explain. "So my life's constantly in danger while I'm at Yokai Academy. And the power ceiling of the world is high enough to remain interesting to you."
That's the practical reason.
The real one—
'I love that world. I love those characters, and would love to meet them.'
"Hmm…" Z muses. "It's not as interesting as Berserk… but violence isn't the only thing fun to watch. Fine."
I barely have time to feel relieved when—
"But!" Z adds brightly. "Let's spice it up. Roll once on the Curse Roulette."
My heart drops.
"I insist." He says before I can refuse. "I'm doing you a favor, so you ought to return it."
"…Sure." I reply, but internally…
'You absolute bastard!'
"You already know how it works." Z says brightly. "But I'll explain it again anyway."
A massive roulette wheel materializes in front of me, easily the size of a house. Numbers from 1 to 20 glow along its rim, each one pulsing faintly like a heartbeat.
"Yeah." I mutter. "The number it lands on determines how bad the curse is. Then a random curse gets picked from that tier."
"See? You're brighter than you look." Z sounds pleased. "And it's not all bad! The worse the curse, the better the compensation. Even the lightest curse gives you a Gold Ticket."
'And the worst ones could ruin my entire new life.'
Even becoming a paraplegic is only a 16, much less 20.
But, most curses that affect me can be resolved if I fulfill certain conditions, while those affecting the world, for the most part, are one-and-done deals.
"So…" Z continues cheerfully. "Just will it to spin."
I glare at the wheel.
My jaw tightens, and fingers curl into fists.
"This is your idea of fun?" I ask flatly.
"Hey, you agreed to it." Z replies, almost defensively. "Besides, it makes things more exciting."
'I hate you.'
The wheel looms over me, silently waiting.
My heart hammers as worst-case scenarios pile up in my head. I swallow hard.
'Let's get this over with.'
I will it to move.
The wheel jerks… then explodes into motion, spinning so fast the numbers blur into a streak of light. Wind roars past me from the speed of its motion, as though announcing the arrival of something grand.
Seconds stretch by, my stomach twisting so painfully I almost feel sick.
Finally, the wheel slows.
Click.
Click.
Click.
It stops.
"…Fuck."
My chest sinks as Z's laughter booms through the void.
"Eighteen!" He announces, and confetti rains down like this is a damn birthday party. "Severe tier! Your luck is amazing!"
Amazing my ass.
The wheel shifts, reshaping itself into a list of names that immediately starts spinning before I can read any of them.
'So this is it.' I think dully. 'Whatever it picks… I'm stuck with.'
It slows… stops… and the words burn themselves into existence in front of me.
[Mortal Enemy]
|Severity: 18|
Someone extremely powerful now harbors absolute hatred toward you. The moment you awaken in your world, a being at least comparable to an Epic Familiar—or the closest equivalent—will be driven to destroy you at any cost.
|Resolve: Kill or neutralize your Mortal Enemy.|
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Even Z sounds caught off guard. "Wow. That's rough."
He continues thoughtfully. "For scale, Epic-level is about… say, disaster-class curses from JJK. Puck and Beatrice from Re:Zero also fall into this category. They're capable of city- and regional-level destruction given some time."
'City Level…' My mind races. 'It says at least that strong. Which means it could be worse. And it doesn't say when or who will attack me…'
"Who is it?" I ask.
"Let me check…" Z mutters, then…
"Oh?" He says, his voice bordering on excitement and surprise.
But that makes me even more worried.
"Ahem." Z clears his throat. "Let's keep that part a surprise."
'Oh, you absolute piece of shit…' I clench my teeth. 'Maybe it's you? You're my Mortal Enemy!'
Of course, I don't dare say any of that aloud.
"Don't look at me like that." Z says lightly. "This is fun."
"I've basically been condemned to death…" I reply sarcastically. "Of course it's fun."
"I knew you'd understand the bigger picture." He laughs breezily. "Now you have more reasons to get stronger and entertain us."
"Assuming I don't get murdered the moment I arrive."
Z hums. "Oh, don't worry. I can guarantee they won't come after you immediately. If you do your absolute best, maybe you'd be strong enough to survive."
I latch onto that instantly, unraveling its deeper meaning.
"So they can't reach me right away." I mutter. "And they're strong enough that even with the Gacha, survival would be hard…"
That narrows things down. At the very least, it's no one at Yokai Academy…
"Well…" Z continues, sounding suddenly bored. "Now that everything's in order, it's time to send you off."
The void begins to shift, and I feel like I'm being pushed out of reality.
"Wait!" I call out. "What about my platinum ticket?"
"It'll be in the system." Z's voice echoes dismissively one last time before it all fades away.
And after all this, the one thing I can be certain of is…
'I hate him!'
(N POV – ???)
I watch his soul vanish into the flow of worlds and let out a slow breath.
"…Was all of that really necessary?" I ask mildly. "It seemed like a great deal of wasted effort."
"Of course it was." Z answers immediately, his voice sharp with irritation.
The playful, grinning lunatic from before is gone.
"I had to test him." Z continues. "I'm sick of transmigrators who can't think." His teeth grind together. "They either swing at the first person that disagrees with them and eventually die… or start collecting girls like trophies. They have no thought, restraint, or love in their hearts."
"…I agree." I say simply.
"Harems mean nothing if they're just hoarding girls." Z mutters. "There's no affection, and most girls end up getting ignored. It's boring and infuriating."
Silence settles between us.
"But you already knew he's not like that." I say at last. "So why go through all of this?"
Z exhales slowly.
"Because knowing, and proving it, are very different." He folds his arms. "We sent Truck-kun because out of countless humans, he met the criteria. He's smart enough to adapt, cautious enough not to die some stupid death, and sincere enough not to become drunk on power."
"And he's extremely fond of that world." I add for him.
"Exactly." Z snorts. "He loves Rosario + Vampire. I needed to see if he would negotiate, analyze, and hold back under pressure to get there."
"And he did." I smile.
"Barely." Z clicks his tongue. "Which is still better than most."
I tilt my head. "And the reshuffle… you're going to use it how I think you will?"
Z's grin returns, but this one is calm.
"Of course. I'm sure he'll even thank me later." Z nods to himself. "And both you and I get everything we wanted."
I nod. It was a sudden deal we made when he asked if he could choose his world.
Z isn't cruel. He's just a bit… particular.
"And you were quite generous." I add. "Not retaliating after all the curses and insults he thought about you."
I chuckle softly. "Not telling him we could hear his thoughts was rather mean, though."
"So what?" Z shrugs. "I love R+V. Moka. All of them. He loves them too." He turns away, huffing like a Tsundere. "I can be forgiving… when I want to be."
"All right. Whatever you say." I laugh. "Let's enjoy the story we've worked hard to arrange."
Z's eyes gleam.
"I hope he doesn't disappoint." Z grins, and for the first time, his voice brims with genuine excitement.
**********
A/N: Hello Everyone! How are you all? And if you've enjoyed the chapter, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or power stones. It really helps the book out.
So, yeah... This is a new fic, actually a commission by someone, and something I'm also interested in. And this could be seen as the prologue.
To be honest, it's an actual Gacha (if you look up Chaos Gacha, the website is there, with all the rules, items that can be rolled, etc. Except For the Familiar roles, since their will be excluded).
As for my thoughts on the chapter... I'll say nothing🤐. There's not much to be said yet, so hopefully you guys enjoyed it, and let me know what you think😁.
And for additional clarification... It is a Rosario+Vampire fix🤣