Kapitel 27: Gacha Day!!

[N/A: I curse the day I decided to add gachas to the fanfic. These chapters are pure exposition.]

[Xiao Long Family House – 3:00 AM]

Daniel returns to the guest room, yawning, utterly exhausted. As he steps in, he collapses onto the bed, feeling the weight of sleep pulling him under. He wraps himself in the blankets, closing his eyes, ready to shut down completely. But his well-deserved rest is cut short by Aegis's voice, resonating from somewhere in the room.

"I don't want to scare you," Aegis says in a neutral tone, "but your girlfriend, the weird one, is standing next to your bed."

Daniel's heart skips a beat at those words, but he doesn't move or open his eyes. He trusts Aegis completely, so there's no need to turn and confirm what he just said. A flood of questions swirls in his mind: Why is she here? Does she know what I did? Cold sweat begins to form on his forehead, making him even more tense.

His thoughts are interrupted when he feels a soft breath near his ear.

"Daniel…" Ruby whispers, her voice low and calm, almost like a breeze. "Are you awake…?"

Daniel stiffens but decides to stay still, caught between uncertainty and fear.

"Good, you're not…" Ruby pauses for a moment before continuing. "Listen closely…" she whispers softly, leaning in closer. "You're not mad… at Ruby…"

"Remember that…" she adds, letting the words sink slowly into Daniel's mind. "You're not mad at Ruby for what happened…"

"Actually, you want to spend more time with Ruby..." she murmurs, reaching out and gently running her hands through his hair in slow, soft strokes. "You love Ruby… and that's why you forgive her. She was just really startled..."

"Oh, and you're also going to tell everyone that Ruby is the best girlfriend in the world… and a very attentive lover," she adds in a sweet tone, pulling her hand away from his hair and slowly stepping back.

The room falls silent for a moment, until Aegis's calm voice breaks the stillness. "You can breathe now. She's gone," he says in his usual tone.

Daniel sits up abruptly, taking deep breaths. His chest rises and falls quickly as he tries to steady himself.

"What do you want to do now?" Aegis asks, his voice emotionless.

"We're leaving," Daniel replies without hesitation, getting out of bed and starting to pack his things.

[Xiao Long Family House – 5:00 AM]

When Daniel finishes gathering his things, he waits a while for Ruby to fall back asleep before leaving. He leaves a note in a spot where he knows it will be found, and with that taken care of, he exits the cabin, moving with utmost care to avoid making any noise. Once he's a safe distance away, he drops the caution and begins walking calmly.

"Isn't all this sneaking around a bit much just to get away from Ruby?" comments Aegis from his spot on top of Daniel's head.

"It's not just about Ruby. We have important things to do," Daniel replies, not slowing his pace.

"Like what?" Aegis asks, already guessing the answer.

"Several things," Daniel says with a smile. "We don't always get the chance to be in such an open space to train. Plus, I've got new skills to test and a ton of gachas to spend."

"Aren't you worried about running into Grimms?" Aegis inquires.

Daniel shakes his head as he continues walking. "That's the best part," he says confidently. "It's unlikely they'll show up. There was an alert in the area yesterday, and they sent a hunter, so the paths should be clear for a while."

He pauses briefly, reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a Pikachu gum. "On top of that, I've got my speed shoes and, of course, you. If we can't fight, at least I know we can escape."

Aegis doesn't say anything more; he doesn't need the details.

As Daniel keeps walking, he activates the system with a gesture, and all the accumulated notifications from the previous day appear in front of him in a holographic projection.

[You Have Cheated on Your Girlfriend]

You cheated on Ruby Rose with her mother, Summer Rose.

Bonus: Some truths take time to grow.

Rating: ✰✰✰

[Copying Summer Rose's Semblance: Petal Burst]

[Petal Burst functions unlocked 100%]

10%: Extreme acceleration

30%: Fragmentation into petals

50%: Light flight

75%: Total evasion

100%: Group displacement

[Burn functions unlocked 70%]

60%: Energy Channeling

[Assimilated Stats from Summer Rose: 25% (MAX 25%)]

[Assimilated Stats from Yang Xiao Long: 17.50% (MAX 25%)]

Daniel stares at the assimilation percentages, unsure of what to think. He can't figure out why Summer's stats jumped so high. He knows she's Ruby's mother, but he expected it to cap at 25%—maybe even less—since he was using a disguise. Shaking his head, he decides not to question it. If it's a system error, better to leave it alone.

He continues scrolling through the messages, stopping at the screen showing Yang's Semblance and her energy channeling ability. Daniel doesn't even bother trying to activate it. If it's energy channeling, he'd need to gather energy somehow, but he's not about to start punching himself in the middle of nowhere just to figure it out.

Instead, he focuses on Summer's Semblance. From the name and its listed functions, he deduces that it's a mobility-based Semblance. It doesn't make much sense to use it right now... not yet. He decides to wait until he's finished reading all the notifications before testing it. With a mental command, he summons another screen in front of him.

[Unique Trait Copied: Silver Eyes]

Allows you to unleash powerful energy beams from your eyes, capable of petrifying large hordes of Grimm. While highly effective against them, it also makes you their natural enemy, turning you into their primary target.

As soon as Daniel opens the screen, an intense pain shoots through his eyes. "AHHH, DAMN IT!" he screams, covering his face with both hands. "They're burning!" His cry of pain is so loud it echoes around him, and he nearly collapses—if not for Aegis taking control of his body just in time. Seeing Daniel about to hit the ground, Aegis intervenes swiftly, and within a minute, the burning sensation fades away.

Daniel rubs his eyes hastily, trying to regain his vision and focus on what he had just unlocked, confused about the sudden pain. He reads the message once, then again, still stunned. Suddenly, he bursts into laughter, his voice filled with excitement. "HAHAHAHA! YES!" he shouts, throwing his arms in the air. "Finally, something good! Something OP!"

Wasting no time, Daniel concentrates hard. "EYE BEAM!" he yells, trying to channel the ability, focusing all his energy. Nothing happens. He lets out a sigh, not really surprised. "Well, guess I'll have to practice," he mutters, accepting the situation without a hint of disappointment.

"What color are my eyes?" Daniel asks Aegis, curious about the change.

Aegis glances at him and replies, "They're silver now."

Daniel grimaces. "Great. I guess I'll have to use Neo's semblance... or grab some color-changing contacts." As he weighs his options, a new notification pops up in front of him.

[+12 Gachas]

Daniel feels unusually lucky today, but before testing his new ability, he decides to move further away—just in case. "Take over," he tells Aegis. Perched on his head, Aegis assumes control of his body, continuing the journey without pause. Being perceptive, Aegis assumes Daniel has a new ability he's itching to try, one that will require full focus.

"Jog lightly," Daniel instructs. "And stay ready, just in case." While he speaks, he dives deep into his concentration, searching for Summer's semblance within him.

The constant use and training of Neo's semblance have given Daniel a good grasp of how to sense abilities inside himself. It doesn't take long before he locates something unfamiliar. Daniel locks onto it, activates it, and, instantly, soft petals begin to form around him, increasing his speed.

"Run!" Daniel shouts, and Aegis responds without hesitation.

Daniel's speed skyrockets as soft petals trail behind him. He wants to laugh but holds it back; he's still not entirely used to the new ability. Focusing intensely, he does his best to keep it active.

Minutes pass. "Stop," Daniel orders, and Aegis halts his body with precision. Daniel exhales heavily, sweat dripping down his forehead. It's not so much the physical exertion but the mental strain of maintaining the semblance.

Straightening up, he lets out a long sigh and surveys the plain stretching out before him. "This looks like a good spot to use the gachas."

"System, start all gachas," Daniel commands aloud, alerting Aegis that anything could happen next.

[Initiating Gacha...]

[Ability acquired: Bubble Master]

[Ability acquired: Arachnophobia]

[Item acquired: Hogwarts Letter]

[Animal acquired: Esquilax]

[Item acquired: Healing Bat]

[Item acquired: Shark Repellent]

[Ability acquired: Rock Thrower lvl 0]

[Ability acquired: Automatic Breathing]

[Item acquired: Boogie Bomb Schematics]

[Ability acquired: RetroSprint]

[Item acquired: Training Whip]

[Item acquired: SCP-420-J]

Daniel reads through the messages carefully. "Can I choose not to receive a gacha?" he asks the system. The system processes for a few minutes before finally responding.

[No… Initiating automatic delivery of gachas.]

[Ability acquired: Bubble Master]

You can now command bubbles with absolute authority. Surely, the perfect moment to flaunt this unique talent will present itself.

"Cool," Daniel mutters as he tries to create a bubble with his hands. When nothing happens, he realizes he can't make bubbles himself—only control them.

[Ability acquired: Arachnophobia]

Bibbidi, bobbidi, boo! Spiders are now your worst nightmare. Good luck dealing with that!

"Not cool," Daniel mumbles. He doesn't feel any different at first, so he decides to imagine a spider. The second he does, a shiver runs down his spine. "Yup, I'm afraid of spiders now," he says, genuinely surprised by the effect.

He turns to Aegis. "Aegis, I'm officially scared of spiders. If we see one, it's your problem, okay?"

Aegis doesn't argue, probably because he already suspects Daniel did something dumb. "Okay," Aegis replies, accepting the situation without comment.

[Item acquired: Hogwarts Letter]

A Hogwarts letter... too bad it doesn't have your name on it.

"This is a cruel gacha," Daniel mutters as he examines the Hogwarts letter. Despite the disappointment, he doesn't throw it away. It's magical paper—there might be some use for it later.

[Creature acquired: Esquilax]

Esquilax, a legendary horse with the head and body of a rabbit.

Before Daniel, a rabbit appears. He stares at it, and Aegis glances over as well. "Can it talk?" Aegis asks, knowing that the animals Daniel summons are often intelligent.

"Let me check," Daniel replies, focusing on the rabbit. "Can you understand me?" he asks. The rabbit stares at him silently before hopping off into the forest.

"I guess not," Daniel says, watching it bounce—or gallop, depending on who you ask—away into the trees.

[Item acquired: Healing Bat]

Smack your allies to heal them. They'll thank you… somehow.

Now, Daniel holds a spiked bat in his hand. With a skeptical expression, he makes a small cut on his arm. Gripping the bat, he hesitates before striking himself.

"OW, DAMN IT!" Daniel yells, wincing in pain. "That hurts more than I thought," he mutters. But then he notices the cut on his arm is already healed.

"At least it works," he says, relieved. Turning to Aegis, he adds, "This bat heals if you hit someone with it. Just a heads-up."

[Item acquired: Shark Repellent]

One spray and goodbye sharks. Problem solved. Does not work underwater.

"Useless," Daniel comments as he stashes the repellent in his bag, clearly unimpressed by the item.

[Ability acquired: Rock Thrower lvl 0]

You're now a master at throwing rocks!!!

Daniel reads the message, picks up a nearby rock, and throws it with force. The rock soars impressively far.

"That was more my superhuman state than the skill," Daniel thinks, chalking up the success to his enhanced strength rather than the new ability.

[Congratulations: Rock Thrower lvl 1]

Level 1 achieved!

He glances at the new message and decides to give it another shot. Picking up another rock, he throws it again. Still, he notices no real improvement.

"Figures," he sighs, already regretting the gacha.

[Ability Obtained: Automatic Breathing]

Now you will breathe without having to think about it. A truly indispensable power.

Curious, Daniel deactivates the ability to see what happens. Quickly, he starts to feel suffocated and grabs his throat, struggling to breathe. In immediate panic, he reactivates the ability.

"Ah, AH, AH!" he gasps deeply, relieved as he regains control.

[Item Obtained: Boogie Bomb Plans]

Your enemies will dance to their doom. Who needs strength when you have rhythm?

Daniel picks up the newly materialized plans and examines them with curiosity. "I wonder if it works on Grimm..." he says quietly, finishing his reading and putting the plans in his backpack.

[Ability Obtained: RetroSprint]

Running backward now makes you faster.

Daniel doesn't even bother trying it himself. "New ability," he tells Aegis, while watching the system screen. "Running backward makes me faster. Try it."

Aegis nods and takes control of Daniel's body, forcing him to run backward at speed. He quickly circles the field. Indeed, Daniel feels faster.

"Useful, but stupid," he comments, stopping and continuing to review the gachas.

[Item Obtained: Training Whip]

A black leather whip that will help you improve your training... while you enjoy the lashes.

Daniel looks at the whip in his hands, spinning it as he evaluates what to do. He's in a dilemma. Should he tell Aegis that the whip could help improve his training? On one hand, he's almost sure it will end up with him being whipped. On the other, he remembers how crucial it might be to improve his training if he ever faces a Grimm.

Aegis notices the silence and asks, "What does it do?"

Daniel takes a moment to respond, clearly uncertain. "It improves my training... if I get whipped with it."

Aegis stays silent for a moment, then comments. "Good to know."

[Item Obtained: SCP-420-J]

When consumed, it causes an exaggerated state of euphoria and extreme confidence. Use wisely.

Daniel stares at the system message for a while before picking up the item from the ground. He inspects it carefully, weighing his options. Then, he takes his scroll and dials Neo's number.

"Neo, you're not going to believe what I just got..." Daniel says, a smile spreading across his face.

[Daniel's Department – 11:00 AM]

Daniel and Neo are sprawled on the couch in Daniel's living room. Neo takes a deep drag from the joint and hands it to Daniel, who responds with another hit. "HA HA HA!" Daniel laughs, choking a bit on his own laughter. "And then I told her to fuck off, that stupid Orbe," he continues, laughing even harder.

Neo seems to laugh too, or at least tries, since no sound comes out. "And then she sent me here to die, to your world, which, by the way, is horrible... I never told anyone, but it's really ugly," Daniel says with a slightly more serious tone. Neo quickly nods, as if agreeing.

[Lost Memory Sequence]

"I really like you!" Daniel says. "You're like my best friend..." He stops, thinks about it for a second, then adds, "No, wait, you're my second-best friend. The first is Aegis," he says, pointing to the aquarium where Aegis swims calmly. "And that's really sad," he adds, a tear running down his face.

Seeing this, Neo puts her hands over her eyes and also cries a little.

"Why are you crying?" Daniel asks, looking at Neo. Neo points to the table, indicating that the ice cream is finished.

[Lost Memory Sequence]

Neo punches Daniel in the face. Daniel takes it, steps back, and quickly recovers. He spits a mouthful of blood. "Do you think you're better than me?" Daniel shouts, throwing a punch at Neo's face. Neo's aura partially blocks it.

Without wasting time, Neo lunges at him, hitting three times in the stomach, once in the face, and finishes with an aerial kick. But, at the last moment, Daniel grabs her leg and throws her into the furniture, breaking it in the process.

"IF I HAD AURA, YOU'D BE DEAD!" Daniel screams at the top of his lungs, not looking at Neo, who comes back with a bat and hits him in the back, knocking him to the ground. Then, she starts hitting him with the bat.

"AHAHAH," Daniel laughs through the pain, "that's a healing bat, you didn't do anything to me."

Neo looks at him and sees that, although he's in pain, he looks better than before. She drops the bat and grabs a chair.

"No, no, no... WAIT, NEOOO!" Daniel screams, trying to stop her.

[Lost Memory Sequence]

"HA HA HA," Daniel claps as he watches Neo juggle. "Where did you get those balls?" he asks, curious.

Neo stops, shows him the balls, and Daniel falls silent as he sees that they're the eyes he had kept in his fridge. After a moment of awkwardness, Daniel laughs. "AHAHA! That's disgusting," he says, taking another hit from the joint.

[Lost Memory Sequence]

"Guess who I am," Daniel says, changing his face to Neo's. "Hint: I'm a sociopath who likes ice cream."

Neo laughs and, signaling, tells him it's his turn. Then she changes her face to Aegis's.

"Ha ha ha!" Daniel laughs when he sees Neo's face. Then, both of them look at the aquarium, where Aegis ignores them. They proceed to laugh like crazy while pointing at him. Daniel laughs so hard he ends up vomiting on the floor.

"BRORRR..." Neo points at him and laughs.

[Lost Memory Sequence]

Neo and Daniel are in the street, throwing eggs at a building, both wearing cloth masks covering their faces. "PLASH, PLASH, PLASH," the eggs sound as they smash against the wall, shattering some windows. There are plenty of thugs around, but none of them do anything because they recognize Neo, though one of them dares to call the boss.

"NEO! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" yells Román, emerging from the building.

Neo and Daniel panic.

"RUN, NEO! OLD ROMÁN'S FOUND US OUT!" Daniel yells, starting to run.

They both run down the street, but Román doesn't follow them, only watches from afar as he sees Daniel fall and roll on the ground.

[Lost Memory Sequence]

"Get out of there!" shouts the ice cream shop manager, pulling at the locked bathroom door. "BAM BAM BAM!" The bangs against the wall and door are loud and clear. "Mhhnn! Mhhnn!" Some moans can also be heard.

"Are you two having sex in the bathroom?!" the manager yells, furious. "Get the hell out!"

"We're almost done!" they shout from inside. "BAM BAM BAM!" The bangs get louder.

"GET OUT OF THERE!" the manager screams, enraged.

[Lost Memory Sequence]

They're both lying on the floor of Daniel's apartment, surrounded by ice cream tubs.

"And like I was telling you, in my world there are no grims, and the men have to court the women," Daniel says, looking at Neo, who's wide-eyed, imagining the possibilities.

Daniel smiles but then gets serious.

"Neo, I don't want to scare you, but it's possible that this world is going to hell in the next few years."

Neo stares at him.

"And I have no idea how it's going to happen," Daniel says finally.

Neo listens to the entire story and, with gestures, signs what can be translated as: "So, are you cheating to me?"

"What?" Daniel says, surprised. "Of course not! That offends me, Neo. You're the mistress, I'm cheating on someone else with you. That's very different," Daniel explains.

In response, Neo punches him in the face. It wasn't really strong, or if it was, his superhuman state made him resist it.

"Ouch!" Daniel says, not looking away from the ceiling.

Neo grabs the joint and takes another drag. Daniel extends his hand, takes it, and takes a drag too.

"So what now?" Daniel asks.

Neo looks at him seriously and makes a few signs. "Want to wreck another one of Román's hideouts?"

Daniel looks at him with a grin. "I'd love to wreck another one of Román's hideouts."

-/-

Author's Note: I swear I'll never write a fanfic with gacha or a stats system again, it's killing me inside, but oh well, you learn by trying. The next part of this will be Daniel's journey to the beacon Tower. Curiously, I'd already written part of those chapters about a month ago. I don't know what happened or how I got so sidetracked, honestly.