Chapter Text
And, as usual, I have no clue if this thing's undercooked or burnt to a crisp straight from the author's kitchen
I died.
That's it.
End of story.
Honestly, I'm not even sure how it happened.
One minute I was heading out to grab some snacks from supermarket, and the next
*BOOM*
Everything went pitch black.
Now, I'm just drifting in an infinite void of nothingness.
Or at least I was, until a blue screen popped up right in front of my face. It's the kind of UI you'd see in a video game RPG, or those cliché Isekai fanfics I used to read.
[Welcome, Wanderer. The Chaos Gacha has been activated.]
"…The hell?"
I stared at the floating text, waiting for a punchline that never came. Of course. I didn't just die; I'd been drafted into a Wattpad trope. Somewhere out there, some bored ROB (Random Omnipotent Being) was probably face-deep in a bucket of popcorn, watching me suffer for their own entertainment.
I'd fallen victim to the "Isekai Bingo Card": the sudden death, the void, the broken Gacha system, and the inevitable power-fantasy harem slop.
It was my own fault, really.
These stories were my guilty pleasure, the kind of junk food I read when I wanted to turn my brain off.
I guess the universe decided it was time I stopped reading and started living it. I just hoped I wasn't about to be "burnt to a crisp" by my own cliché.
[Starter 3 True Random Rolls available, do you want to pull?]
"Okay, ROB, if you want entertainment, you've certainly got it, and I hope you and RNGesus aren't conspiring to make me suffer even more or something."
I tapped the [Confirm] button on my screen. The screen flashed, and the wheel of fate, or in this case, chaos began to spin. A digital chime rang out, and the first result popped up.
Rolling True Random Ticket
[Penny Polendina]
|Elite Familiar|
Rwby - "I'm combat ready!" Penny is an android, an artificial lifeform with a soul of her own, granting her the ability to use her own aura. In addition, thanks to her robotic physique, she has great physical abilities boosted by her aura, a flight module, as well as cores that prevent her from dying unless all of them are destroyed. She also has computational abilities expected from a machine. She also has multiple blades she can control remotely, called the Floating Array. She also comes with some extra equipment to facilitate copulation.(Not Winter Maiden)
"Penny?" I whispered, my voice echoing in the void. "I got the cinnamon roll android?"
The floating text didn't answer, but the description lingered, mocking me with its technical detail. It seemed that Gacha was already reading my search history, I've always had a thing for androids.
Don't blame me; 2B and A2 are top-tier, or any character voiced by Yui Ishikawa is automatically my Waifu material.
A secondary window popped up to explain the fine print:
Familiars are living(sometimes) beings that can act independently (sometimes) from the user. For a being to qualify as a familiar, they have to be distinctly inhuman or have very obvious inhuman characteristics.
By default, any familiar you have is absolutely loyal and obedient.
Even if they may take a personal dislike to you, they will never work against you and will absolutely obey any order you have for them, regardless of their opinion. This includes trying to undermine you, perform subterfuge, or otherwise harm you; their loyalty will never waver, even if their enthusiasm does. Despite their loyalty, they still are their own entity and can have their own opinions about you.
Familiars can restore their own energy reserves by drawing on the user's energy with their consent. They exist in a familiar storage that they can be summoned to and from at any time. They also receive sustenance and slowly heal inside a familiar space.
Any familiars that normally have items come equipped with their standard basic gear unless stated otherwise.
"Good to know... moving on!" I tapped the screen again.
Deciding not to overthink the 'compatibility' note, I immediately looked toward the next spin.
Rolling True Random Ticket
[Daybreak]
|Elite Item|
Terraria - A spear of pure energy formed from the shards of a fallen star. Allows the user to summon copy projections of Daybreak to use as projectiles by hurling them like Javelins. Amplifies the power of Fire and light-based abilities when using Daybreak as a focus
"Holy... that's one of the best endgame weapons in Vanilla Terraria."
Of course, it's not as powerful as Zenith, but the fact is that this weapon is basically powerful enough to kill MoonLord in game, which has proven itself.
"Alright,next one….."
Rolling True Random Ticket
[Literacy]
|Uncommon Skill|
You know how to read effectively, you'd be shocked at how little people possess this skill. You know all common languages and mundane languages of the world you are in, and are very skilled at reading books and grimoires, allowing you to read them much faster and digest the information inside of them better.
"Huh... actually useful." It wasn't flashy, but it was practical. "At least I'll be able to learn magic. And if not, at least I'll be more coherent than a Twitter user."
[Are you interested in taking a Curse?]
I stiffened. "Wait, a what?"
[Taking a Curse grants an additional Roll. The higher the Severity, the higher the rarity of the Gacha reward.]
I paused, chewing on the inside of my cheek. High risk, high reward. "Okay... maybe just one minor one. I don't want the whole world hunting me like a Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist."
[Doting Parents]
|Minor Curse|
Your parents are a bit too doting towards you, unlike the usual absent parents in stories. It will be quite hard to avoid their scrutiny or attention.
|Resolve: None|
[Cursed Remix]
|Medium Curse|
The world you are going to is different from the one you remember, not so much that the flow of fate is completely changed, but enough to make your life harder. Maybe some people have different parents, more monster varieties exist, some people aren't dead, some people are, who knows? There might be more beneficial changes for you, but they are definitely more than balanced out by the bad.
|Resolve: No resolve, one and done deal|
Yikes. Helicopter parents. but at least it meant I'd be well-fed and looked after. Even if it felt like I was being watched 24/7.
and also the fact that I accidentally rolled basically a Crossover setting plus AU which makes my META knowledge probably useless
I can still handle it.
I think so.
"Well, show me what the headache was worth."
The final screen flashed
Rolling Gold Random Ticket
[Warrior of Sunlight]
|Elite Trait|
Dark Souls - You are a Warrior of Sunlight, a Warrior that praises the sun and devotes their faith in it, receiving powers in return. As a Warrior of Sunlight, you possess increased vitality. In addition, all Lightning and Fire-based abilities are slightly more potent and carry traces of sunlight within them, further increasing their potency against Undead and Dragons. Beings aligned with the Sun and Light may favor you more.
Rolling Advantage Gold Random Ticket
[Shield Saw]
|Rare Item|
Doomslayer - "You will never see a cooler shield" This high-tech shield is the lovechild of a chainsaw and a powerful shield. The shield itself can block incredibly well and is incredibly durable. The blades on the shield can spin incredibly fast, and when thrown, the shield can adjust its trajectory mid-flight and return to the user.
OR
[Mystic Eyes of Flame]
|Elite Ability|
Allows you to increase the temperature of and spontaneously combust any target in your line of sight. The stronger the target the more energy is expended. While active your eye turns red and has the image of three overlapping triangles
Okay, so I have to choose between the Shield from the Doom Slayer in the game Doom : Dark Age or the Mystical Eyes from the Nasuverse.
Looking at my current build, I’ll go with the Mystical Eyes because they all complement each other so well in this build.
Sorry Doom Slayer,
I looked at my haul. An android bodyguard, a solar spear, the ability to actually read, and Mystic Eyes of Flame with the blessing of the Sun itself.
"Praise the sun, I guess," I muttered, right as the void began to pull me under. "Now... let's see where this 'cliché' is taking me."
[CONFIRMED.]
[TRANSFERRING TO NEW WORLD...]
[DESTINATION: HIGH SCHOOL DXD]
"Wait, WHAT—?!"
Before I could finish the scream, the world turned into blinding white light, and I vanished.
(???)
My eyes felt like lead as consciousness returned. I sat up, the small squeak of bedsprings protesting under me. The air smelled like home. But which home?
At that moment, the memories of a life I'd never lived hit me like a Zip file being extracted directly into my brain.
Niko Nakagawa. Born to a normal family. Dad works out of town. Mom is... a bit too close for comfort. And in one week, I'm supposed to start as a first-year student at Kuoh Academy, a former all-girls school that just went co-ed.
"Oh, man……" I groaned.
"Niko? Are you awake yet, sweetie?" a voice called from from outside my room
"I'm up, Mom!"
I'd deal with the fact that I was in a universe where "Oppai" was a legitimate power source later. For now,I headed to the bathroom to get quick shower
After I finished shower, I stared into the mirror.
"Huh. I guess the advantage of living in an anime is the free cosmetic upgrade."
The face looking back wasn't a supermodel's, but it wasn't an NPC's either. Black hair, yellow eyes I looked like a slightly to Male version of Rover from Wuthering Waves.
"Oh well, just because my face resembles my favorite MC Gacha character doesn't mean I can be on par with him."
I sighed, after drying the body with a towel and wearing casual clothes consisting of a plain black shirt and white shorts
If I was going to survive in a world where literal creatures that previously existed in mythology and fairy tales walked the streets, I might as well be comfortable while doing it.
I headed downstairs, the scent of sizzling oil and soy sauce acting like a GPS for my stomach.
My "mother," Liana Nakagawa, was already a blur of motion in the kitchen.
"Good morning, Niko! You're finally up!" she chirped, spinning around with a spatula in one hand. She looked exactly like the 'Doting Parent' curse implied, eyes sparkling with way too much morning energy and a smile that suggested she had been waiting by the door for me to wake up.
"Morning, Mom," I said, sliding into a chair at the small dining table.
"You looked so tired last night, I was worried you were coming down with something before your first day at Kuoh," she said, leaning over to press the back of her hand against my forehead. She stayed there a second too long, squinting at me. "Hmm, no fever. But you look... different today. ?"
"Just a good night's sleep," I lied smoothly, gently nudging her hand away.
She beamed and set a steaming plate in front of me: yakimeshi . The Japanese-style fried rice was glistening, packed with bits of egg, green onion, and savory pork. It looked and smelled incredible.
"Eat up! You need your strength if you're going to make friends next week. I heard Kuoh Academy has some very beautiful girls, Niko. Maybe you'll bring one home for dinner?" She winked, leaning against the counter to watch me eat with an intensity that made me realize the 'Curse' was already in full effect.
I took a bite, the savory warmth hitting my tongue. "Mom, I haven't even stepped foot on campus yet."
"I'm just saying! My little boy is a handsome young man now," she cooed.
I choked back a response. If she knew that "handsome young man" currently had a sentient combat android and a star-powered spear stashed in his soul, she'd probably never let me leave the house again.
"Uh...whatever, mah."
After finishing the last grain of rice, I stood up and stretched. My muscles felt strangely dense, likely a side effect of that [Warrior of Sunlight] vitality boost.
"That was great, Mom.Best yakimeshi ever," I said, offering a thumbs-up.
Liana's eyes practically turned into sparkle. "Oh, Niko! You usually just grunt and head back to your room! Are you sure you're okay? Maybe I should call the doctor just in case—"
"I'm fine, I promise!" I laughed nervously, backing toward the door. "Actually, I was thinking of heading out for a bit. Just to get my bearings around Kuoh before the semester starts. I'll be back by lunch, okay?"
She pouted, her "Doting Parent" aura flaring up like a physical weight. "But I was going to reorganize your sock drawer! And we haven't even talked about your skin-care routine for the first day of school!"
"I'll be back in a few hours, Mom! Love you, bye!" I didn't wait for a rebuttal. I slipped into my sneakers and bolted out the front door, feeling her watchful gaze through the window until I turned the corner of the street.
The air in Kuoh was crisp. It looked like a normal Japanese town, but I knew better.
Since Kuoh Academy was opened as a co-ed school and the acceptance ceremony for new students is in less than a week, this means I was there about a year before the canon events occurred.
That's plenty of time to prepare, as I'm not sure I can rely on "masquerade" if a family with a doting mother loses their child to a random stray devil, a human who knows about the supernatural, or a supernatural creature.
"Best to play the NPC for now," I muttered to myself, walking down the quiet street. "Build strength, stay under the radar, and see what this world throws at me."
It wasn't a bad plan.
Now, I just had to hope the Gacha agreed.
First things first: I needed to meet my new partner.
I don't know much about RWBY, but if I'm not mistaken, Penny is Remnant's version of Pinocchio, since most of the characters there are inspired by various children's fairy tales.
I ducked into a secluded park near the edge of a residential district. It was a small, quiet space with a few weathered benches and a dense cluster of cherry blossom trees that hadn't bloomed yet.
After ensuring the coast was clear, I focused on the strange weight in the back of my mind, the "Familiar Storage."
"Penny? You there?"
The air rippled. A circle of green light etched itself into the grass, humming with a digital frequency. Within seconds, a girl materialized. Ginger curls, a green-and-white dress, and bright eyes that scanned me with mechanical precision.
"Salutations!" she chirped, her voice bright and clear, carrying a synthetic lilt that was somehow utterly endearing. "Unit designation: Penny Polendina. You are my designated Operator!"
"Oh... and uh....my name is Niko Nakagawa nice to meet you" I said while extending my hand to her
Penny tilted her head, her green eyes shimmering as she processed the gesture. With a jerky, almost too-fast motion, she grasped my hand. Her grip was firm, not bone-crushing but I could feel the incredible density of the machinery beneath her "skin."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Friend Niko!" she chirped, pumping my hand up and down with enough enthusiasm to dislocate a shoulder. "I have been pre-programmed with absolute loyalty to you, but I am also eager to initiate a social bond! Are we friends? I was told that is how it works!"
"Yeah, Penny. We're definitely friends," I said, winching slightly as I managed to get my hand back. The [Warrior of Sunlight] vitality was probably the only thing that kept my wrist from clicking.
"Are you okay? Your heart rate is slightly elevated"
"Just a little overwhelmed," I admitted, gesturing for her to sit on the park bench. She sat down with a heavy thud, her weight clearly more than a human girl's. "Listen, Penny. We're in a bit of a weird spot. This isn't Remnant, and it's not my old world either."
I spent the next twenty minutes giving her a crash course on being an "Isekai Protagonist with META knowledge." I explained the Masquerade, how the world looked normal but was currently in a cold war between the Devil, Fallen, and Angel factions, and also my basic knowledge of various mythologies that might also appear, while leaving out the details of where this world might work with Hentai logic if seen from certain point of view
"So,this world is also inhabited by mythological entities that come from various stories and legends that utilize 'Magic' or 'Sacred Geaars' instead of Dust or Aura. And currently, we are in a territory controlled by the Gremory and Sitri Devil clans?" Penny summarized
"Well, Aura and Semblance exist here too, they just call it Touki."
Penny then stood up abruptly, "Then I shall remain in combat-ready status at all times! I will not allow any 'Stray Devils' to cause harm to my first friend in this world."
"I appreciate that, Penny. I really do."
I looked at her and smiled.
If I play Visual Novel games or the Persona series, I think my relationship with Penny is now rank 1.
"So what are you going to do now?" Penny asked
"Well, let's just walk. I need to learn the layout of this town and I really don't want to get lost and have my mom call a search party."
I feel like beginning the day after "get my memories of my previous life plus the gacha system" by walking around the residential complex with an Android that can also use Aura doesn't seem too bad.