Chapter Text
The pain stops as suddenly as it started, my scream still echoing in my head. I don't think I can feel anything in fact, I guess this is death, a void to float around in. I'm not sure if I'm looking around and there's only darkness, or it's all in my head, just imagining the sensations. It's probably the latter. This is why I didn't want to do sensory deprivation when my friend suggested it, I knew I wouldn't do well. Who's laughing now?
Fuck.
Okay, I've always daydreamed when I should be paying attention, so that can keep me sane for a while. I can probably mentally reread some fanfics as well, god knows I spent enough time reading those. I just need to take a breath and calm down, or imagine taking a breath I guess, since I don't think consciousnesses have lungs and I sure as wherever-I-am can't feel a body.
I suppose I can reflect on my life too, not sure if that'll help or just be a punishment. Despite my - in my opinion - untimely end, I can't complain too much. A small but loving family, good friends, a couple girlfriends, I got to have the university experience, and if we're looking for silver linings I got taken out before I had to start devoting my life to a series of soulless companies and taxes.
Time passes, I assume though who knows how much, as I replay my 'greatest hits', it's a comfort of sorts - to know I was alive, spent good times with good people. Hopefully I left an impact on some of them. Eventually my thoughts quiet, no sense wasting all my sane thoughts at once. I can finally put some actual effort into meditation at least, maybe if I achieve nirvana I can get a mindscape or something, go live out all my fantasies in an eternal lucid dream.
"Damn, which big fucker did you piss off to end up here?"
The flashbang of a presence would make me flinch away if I could do, as it is my mind just jolts like the most intense electroshock therapy that was definitely not done by a professional.
My form-not-form shows its great worth again as I try to respond, with nothing for it come out of I can't even ask who or what the fuck that is.
"Rude."
Yeah, that checks out. Either I've gone mad or this is some death god/multiversal entity/fanfic bullshit, and any of those could read my thoughts.
"Eh, take your pick, none of them are all that wrong. You can think at me if it makes you feel better."
Thanks, I suppose. So, can I ask who you are?
"You can call me Rob for now."
Again, the lack of lungs prevents me from doing the sigh that should be present. Though I can't suppress the spark of hope and desire that I am about to become the fanfic bullshit.
"Sure, why not? It's been a while since I had one, now what sort of cheat should we send you off with?"
As he/it/they finish speaking I feel my memories forcibly flash across my mind, looking like the most mundane copy of the MCU marvel intro thing. It stings though, seeing my friends and family, all the people I won't see again, all the plans and hopes out the window, even the stupid things like stories I'll never see finished hurt.
"Don't worry about that, I'll be blurring your past, should help you get settled and avoid pesky little things like depression."
I guess I don't have a choice in that?
"Nope, I don't get what I want out of this if you spend the next few months mourning. I would say sorry but we both know how it is."
Can.. Can I at least ask if it'll affect who I am?
"Nah you're good there, it's just dulling and blurring, you'll still be you. Provided the you stays interesting enough and strong enough to keep yourself intact."
How reassuring.
"Stop worrying, look if you don't like the idea so much I can go, there's literally infinite souls I could grab now I'm in the mood, you're just interesting 'cause you're not supposed to be here."
No no, that's fine, all good Rob. Though is me being here really that weird, if that's something I can ask?
"Yeah yeah, but then we're getting on, I do have infinite time but I don't really like it here. I'm pretty sure this should just be the in-between, souls shouldn't stay here. I'd guess either your soul had no claims or conflicting claims, not that it matters now."
Thanks Rob, uhh so now what?
"Now we talk about how much time and money you spent on gacha games."
Do I have the right to remain silent?
"I mean, sure, but I've literally been inside your head. Anyway, LET'S GO GAMBLING!"
In a flash of light, three golden tickets looking like classic movie 'admit one' tickets appear, which leads me to the second appearance I notice, I have a body again - or at least the approximation of one made of faintly glowing white light. I can see and move again, not that there's much to do with either ability. On the other side of the golden tickets floats(?) an orb of light, made up of every shade and hue of blue that can exist, and probably some that can't.
"So, welcome to the Chaos Gacha, some powerful dude called Bronz made it, and I'm lazy, so that's what you're using. You're familiar with this sort of thing, achieve feats, get tickets, use tickets to get anything from a rock with googly eyes to the ability to control the reality of your universe with a thought."
I nod, now that I have a head to do so.
"Okay, I guess I just get into it, assuming there's no more to know?"
"Eh, not right now, we'll sort your world and all that not-gambling stuff after, if it goes bad maybe I'll need to take pity on you."
"Nice to know that's an option at least, though I was pretty lucky with my five stars, but if I roll well and end up in 40k you will be hearing my complaints, shortly before I'm consumed by something horrific probably."
"Heh."
Okay, three chances to potentially decide my second life, no pressure. I just need enough to get me going, I can snowball, just need a good first step. Let's go gambling.
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Rolling Gold Random Gacha Ticket
An Elite Ability!
[Fierce Wings]
|Elite Ability|
MHA - Allows the user to grow wings that they can freely telekinetically control the feathers of that they can use projectiles, extra limbs or improve weapons. In addition, these feathers are incredibly powerful and scale with their physical stats.
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"Hooooly shit, okay okay, an elite off rip, and one I know at that!"
Don't think I need to worry about the pity help. Mobility, offense, and utility in one. As long as I don't end up in the elemental plane of fire, this is the first step I need. Huge red wings aren't the most subtle but that's a small price to pay. Though I hope I don't end up in MHA, that might be some awkward conversations...
Alright, I'm sure my high roll will in no way be balanced out by the gacha gods, next ticket.
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Rolling Gold Random Gacha Ticket
A Rare Trait!
[Helltaker]
|Rare Trait|
"You wake up, dreaming of a harem of demon girls" Infernally aligned/Demonic beings find themselves more attracted to you and it is easier to earn their affection.
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Oookay, less immediately useful I'll say. But it's not like there's no benefits, hell - heh - depending on the world this could be just as important as Fierce Wings.
Alright, last ticket, not sure how much better than Fierce Wings I could even get but let's hope - roll it.
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Rolling Gold Random Gacha Ticket
A Rare Item!
[Duffel of Hardware]
|Rare Item|
A simple backpack that contains anything you could reasonably find in the average hardware store in unlimited quantities, but you need to physically reach in and pull the item out. To retrieve an item, you have to at least know what you are pulling out.
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Alright, far from bad, there's a lot of potential there. Rapid response handyman for a local demon community? Worst case I can do my best impression of those hammer throwing Koopa from Mario.
Yeah, I can work with these. Two rares and an elite is a damn good start, no arguing that, now I just need to go somewhere I can use them.
"Huh, honestly better than I expected. You're unlikely to die straight away at least so this shouldn't have been a waste. Now to see where you'll be plying your new handyman abilities."
There's no ceremony as I'm suddenly holding a D100, looking like it's made of the same light as whatever Rob is.
Deep breath, Rob wants a show, or whatever else they gain from this, so I doubt I'd be going somewhere I have no chance, even in the worst case. What, looking at Worm maybe? Like I'd be fucked but with a chance. The worst would actually be somewhere I know nothing about, meta knowledge is king.
"It is weighted, saw all your memories remember?"
Shit, okay, nothing to do but roll.
Tossing the die in the air once, I roll it, despite there being no actual surface to do so on.
38
Ah.
The gacha giveth and the gacha taketh. It could be worse, it shouldn't be an immediate death world I only know through seeing the name once. Lay it on me Rob.
"Not bad, no Tyranids for you. You're headed for everyone's favourite titty anime, Highschool DxD!"
HA! Helltaker trait will pay for itself, I mean I got it for free but you know what I mean! Okay that aside, not unfamiliar, but pretty much all of my knowledge is from fanfics, and a fair few crossovers at that. I've seen a couple clips of the real thing but I doubt that's enough to properly metagame this.
"Indeed. A popular destination from your memories, difficult and with a high ceiling, but I have faith, at least enough for a bit of fun. Though I think we could make it a little more interesting, many of the fics you enjoyed were altered in some way, got to keep it interesting after all. So, a silver ticket for some mostly reasonable changes of my design, what do you say?"
Damn, I do love gambling. Plus my knowledge was already questionable at best. Plus plus, maybe the very cool and powerful Rob will provide some extra waifus for me. Yes I know you can still hear me and yes I am this shameless.
"Let's do it."
"Excellent!"
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Rolling Silver Random Gacha Ticket
A Rare Item!
[Hypnos' Mask]
|Rare Item|
A sleeping mask blessed by Hypnos, the god of sleep, when wearing this mask, your nights are perfectly restful and all of your energy recovers after 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
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"Another rare item, your luck holds still. Hopefully the changes will be worth it."
Guaranteed good nights sleep and recovery, not bad at all. Honestly might be the most unrealistic thing so far. Okay, DxD with wings, demonic beings liking me, hardware store in a bag, and the worlds best sleep mask. I can do this.
"Lovely, nice to know you're positive. I've already picked your background and all of that, you'll find out shortly."
"Good Luck"
As the words roll over me, the void ahead of my is replaced with a tunnel of white, and whatever form I currently am is sucked straight to and through it.
"GASP"
I jolt aware, like the worlds most trippy falling dream, but the potential and power burning just under my skin affirms that all of that was real.
Once my heart rate and breathing are approaching normal I take a moment to look around. A bedroom makes a much nicer view than the void. I'm sat up on a comfy but plain double bed, four off-white walls with a currently closed door and a two-pane window that overlooks a decidedly unfamiliar town, a built in wardrobe, a desk with some papers and a laptop, and a chair.
It looks more like a showroom than anything lived in, but that's fine. I could have awoken in a field, or about to get hit by a truck or something so a plain bedroom is more than fine, thanks Rob.
Shuffling off the bed, I head over to the - my desk. On top of the stack of papers is a sticky note - 'Hey champ, when you finish reading this note your memories for this life will start streaming into your head - might take a bit for you to parse it with the base human brain, try not to pass out, some people just can't handle their head being messed with for some reason.'
Burning lances through my head, my surroundings reduced to a pinprick as I sink to my knees. It's taking everything I have just to keep breathing. Eventually, slowly, the pain eases. I've sweat through my light t-shirt, and it's a good thing I didn't get a strength ability or I'd probably have depressions in my skull from gripping my head.
Grabbing the desk and standing on shaky legs, I see the ID card that was under the note, confirming the knowledge shoved into my head.
"Welcome to Kuoh, Haruto Shitara, let's make the most of it."
A/N: I can only promise the rolls are legit, an elite ability and Helltaker seems like a setup, even to me. Maybe the powers that be (that being Bronz and Yuta of Crawling X Chaos) saw fit to give Haruto Helltaker, given his great destiny of sleeping with numerous devils and other beings - provided I don't get him killed, maimed, or am too nervous to write good smut.
Either way, thank you for reading, and thank you again to Bronz for the excellent Chaos Gacha that inspired me to finally take a break from reading to actually try my hand at writing. Hopefully it's a decent enough first attempt to be enjoyable! I'm not sure what any sort of schedule will look like, given work and other time commitments but I'll do my best! Not even going to pretend this is a unique idea, but I was inspired to do my own spin with it.
Crossposting from QQ, this was originally posted back in September.