Chapter Text
Chapter 1 - The Awakener in a Story Not His Own (1)
The sound of the keyboard clacking, interspersed with the background music of FGO, echoed rhythmically in the dark room, illuminated only by the glow of the screen.
Null leaned back in his chair, a weary smile playing on his lips.
Ten years.
Exactly ten years since he started the game—Fate/Grand Order.
Ten years of rolling Gacha, ten years of building his roster, ten years of living alongside his beloved stories and Servants.
The wall clock struck the exact hour following the livestream, the moment a new page of the book was turned—a special day.
"Fate/Grand Order's 10th Anniversary..."
Null murmured, his eyes filled with joy and excitement. His finger trembled slightly as he pressed the "Summon" button.
A streak of vibrant golden and rainbow-colored magic appeared on the screen, the light bursting like fireworks in the night.
A silhouette materialized.
"No way—"
The light faded, revealing the image of a girl with fiery red eyes and silver-white hair, clad in a white jacket.
"U-Olga Marie, Class Beast".
A legendary Servant, a symbol of ultimate power—the one the entire gaming community once called "the most distant dream," "Chaldea's Director."
Null couldn't believe his eyes. His heart hammered in his chest, his throat tightening as if he'd swallowed fire.
This was the first time in his life he had been so lucky, using only 5 Golden Summon Tickets to summon a Servant, and this was one of his favorites, and in the Beast class. An impressive class for its origin and a prized collector's item for him.
"Haha... I actually did it."
He laughed like a child. Not because of the power, but because of the ten-year journey of commitment, the obsession with every Gacha failure, every moment of hope that was shattered. Today, everything felt redeemed.
Null rested his back against the chair, letting out a long breath. The phone's light reflected in his tired but still shining eyes of happiness.
"Thank you... for the past ten years."
He spoke softly, as if addressing the memories that had coexisted with him.
He swore to use everything he had, his more than 1000 Saint Quartz, for this moment. He wanted to get U-Olga Marie to NP5.
First, he needed to delete his 1-star game review and replace it with a 5-star one.
"I'll probably be late for work tomorrow... but whatever. It's the tenth anniversary, after all."
He pondered the time he had spent with FGO. 'I've accompanied this game on a long journey.'
He had maxed out every statistic—skills 10/10/10, Bond 15, NP5 for most Servants. All his Servants were at maximum level.
There was only one thing he hadn't done: express his gratitude. Thank this game for getting him through his loneliest youth.
He refocused on the Gacha.
(Sometime in the next few months)
He was walking home and playing FGO.
"Please God, bless me, I want to summon Kondo Isami." He walked and prayed for the summons.
He had felt a sense of doubt since getting U-Olga Marie to NP5, only spending just over 600 Saint Quartz.
His subsequent gacha rolls for other Servants also reached NP5, but he had to use the power of money.
His heart felt like it was bleeding when he thought of it.
He hated himself for loving FGO so much that he wanted to collect every character at NP5 with all stats maxed.
"Please God, bless me, just one more is enough for NP5."
He closed his eyes and tapped the screen.
Then, a golden light accompanied by a rainbow color appeared. He held his breath, waiting for the result.
"Please do not switch to another servant." Then, the card appeared, showing a Saber.
He yelled happily; now it just needed to materialize.
His hope was answered as Kondou Isami appeared, making him scream wildly. But then, something terrible happened to him.
Just a few seconds later, a real-world sound tore apart the quiet moment of excitement. A car horn, deafening and urgent.
Null flinched.
He was standing on the sidewalk near a coffee shop, so why was there a loud car horn?
He intended to turn around to look at the driver and complain (he was completely unaware that the driver had lost control).
Suddenly, a blinding white light slammed into his vision. Tires screeched on the pavement.
The sound of metal colliding, people screaming in chaos. The car had hit him.
The pain didn't have time to register. Only a chilling sensation ran down his spine.
Then... silence.
Everything around him plunged into darkness. No light, no sound, just an empty void.
He couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Only his thoughts continued to whirl in his head.
"Did I... die?"
He asked himself, though no one answered.
A wave of regret surged, like a violent flood sweeping over his chest. He hadn't said thank you to his parents.
He probably wouldn't be able to send money home anymore. He hadn't met the old friend he promised to travel with. He hadn't finished his unfinished business.
One more regret was that he didn't know the ending of the FGO game.
"I still have so much to do..."
His voice was lost in the void. Tears of regret streamed from his eyes.
Then another voice echoed, soft but distant:
[Do you wish to continue your story?]
The question repeated, as if emanating from the depths of his mind.
Null wanted to say "Yes," but no sound escaped. He only thought, and that thought spread like a small spark of light in the darkness.
The light slowly grew larger.