Gacha System: Reborn In The Hardest World

Behind him, he could hear the sounds of battle as though a storm brewed in the mansion halls. He focused entirely on running, navigating the narrow descent before pushing through a set of black, twin doors— 

"Gael? You're alive—that's a relief." 

Immediately as he stepped into the unknown chamber, he was greeted by the somewhat assuring words from the familiar woman. 

It was a room built like a dome of old steel, with its center occupied by a crystalline tree. A majestic presence, the cerulean construct stretched its roots across the walls, humming with a mystical eminence. 

"Blythe? What's going on? What're you doing?" Gael asked in a hurry, hearing the bangs from the battle occurring behind. 

The silver-haired woman stood by the crystal tree with her hands against it, "…I am constructing a route for us to be transported safely. This domain is done for. Once the Venator have bared their fangs, there won't be an end to it." 

"What're you talking about? Transport?" Gael questioned, stepping closer. 

"A spell. One that requires the mana of the Archan Heart," Blythe explained, speaking of the crystal trunk she touched while keeping her eyes closed for focus. 

Whatever it was, the scale of the magic was beyond anything he was accustomed to. A mystical wind flexed within the chamber, brushing by as he felt the warm air tug past his hair. 

"Did you know this would happen? The Venator…They're this set on hunting me down? Just for existing?" Gael questioned, shaking his head. 

"It's an awful thing, really. You've done nothing wrong, but the whole nation of Mastorn sees people like you as the devil," Blythe sympathized while concentrating on the spell. 

The hum of the crystalline tree crescendoed, growing as the air flexed within the archaic chamber. He stood there, looking upon the silver-haired beauty as the light glistened over her skin. 

"I don't get it…Everything you've worked for is coming down, and it's because I'm here. Why are you okay with it? Why do you want me here, despite that?" Gael asked, finding it unreasonable. 

The wind shifted again with that question, feeling a desperation in his heart. It has only been a meager amount of time in this cruel, unforgiving world, yet he looked upon the woman as his only solace—this answer depended on it. 

Blythe took her time as though the answer was a reluctant one, "—My great-grandfather, he was like you…An Outlander from the same world as yours, brought here to Gaia. My grandmother, who was the head of the Peonyvale domain at the time…She knew that."

"Wait, seriously—? So that means you're—?" Gael asked in disbelief, finding a kindred sensation. 

The silver-haired girl nodded, "I suppose you can say I'm partially of your world in that way. That's why I can't stand for it—the way Mastorn regards Outlanders as monsters." 

It left him speechless, finding for the first time in this foreign world a feeling of familiarity. 

"By the way, I would activate your system if I were you…It seems someone is coming," Blythe warned. "I need more time for the spell!" 

"Right…! Yeah, I can do that–totally!" Gael obliged with shaky confidence, turning to face the doors leading to the chamber of the crystalline roots. 

"If we're captured by the Venator, we'll be tortured. It'll be worse for you as an Outlander…They'll dissect you for years to extract every bit of information they can," Blythe warned him. 

"Thanks for the motivation!?" Gael said, finding whatever courage he had turning to desperation. 

Hearing that scraping throughout the unseen corridor ahead, a chill coursed through his body. Though he wished for it to be the old butler, he already knew it wasn't so. 

'Thanks, Gramps…Guess I'll pick up where you left off,' he thought, slowly breathing out. 

Clenching his fist, he chose to act upon the special item attributed to his system, "Use SR Ticket: Familiar!" 

[SR Ticket consumed.] [Activating Familiar Summon.] 

It was a dance of silver lights that filled the room, touching down with a pillar of sparkling radiance. 

["I can't really explain it. This first day coming to this world, everything "clicked" for me. Maybe it's because I was beside a pretty girl, or just that my life before was agonizingly boring. 

But, I was ready for the challenge."] 

Out from the doors ahead, the worrisome silhouette emerged—that grinning man. 

Dolus walked out with a body covered in bruises, clearly haven been put through the ringer, "That old man sure was a monster. Just a bit past his age, though." 

'Shit!' Gael thought. 

The pillar of light touched down between them, dissipating with a powerful gust— 

[Chance Summoning complete…You've obtained…!] 

[Familiar Permanently Obtained: (SR) "Florentine, Warrior of The Bright Future"] 

A woman that stood nearly twice his height arrived, equipped in armor forged of glistening, snow-white steel. In the hand of the brawny figure, a massive warhammer rested over her shoulder. 

Her silken, dark hair descended over her shoulder plates, boasting a bright smile that contrasted the scars on her face. 

"Many thanks for summoning me, Master! Worry not, I shall crush any opposition!" Florentine proudly proclaimed, slapping her own chest. 

"Yeah, yeah, focus on that creepy bastard!" Gael hurriedly shouted, pointing ahead. 

The Venator was already on the move, sprinting into the chamber right towards the crystalline tree. There was no doubt he intended to take out the woman right there, holding an excited grin before— 

"You won't pass that easily." 

—A massive downfall of the hammer slammed into the ground, forcing the Venator to slide back just beforehand. 

"Ha-ha! One giant to another, eh?! How cruel can the world be to a fragile guy like me?!" Dolus laughed out while flipping back swiftly, dancing around the hammer. 

"Punks like you that don't know when to shut up really get on my nerves!" Florentine shouted, swinging her massive, white-steel hammer in a sideways motion. 

The Venator ducked right beneath it with an agile movement, immediately squeezing his right fist as his entire arm swelled up with supernatural strength, "--On the contrary, chicks like you are the ones that really get my blood pumping!" 

Gael saw the strike coming clear as day even if the giantess seemed oblivious, masking himself with the magic of invisibility as he quickly positioned himself to the Exterminator's flank–

'C'mon!' He thought, pushing his right hand forward. 

Flexing only that limb, it strained his muscles as once more, the sapphire markings on his arm produced a shine. A bolt of lightning in the form of the ethereal dragon sprouted forth, soaring right for the man. 

"Oh?--" Dolus stopped his assault, glancing over at the sparking beast. 

It collided with the Venator in a burst of electricity, striking against the unbreakable body. A laugh cackled from Dolus' lips even as he was flung off his feet from the impact. The behavior was strange, seeming like that of some kind of twisted masochist to the young man. 

The transient dragon faded as Gael, huffed, feeling his arm throb, though glad he managed to use it in time. 

"Thanks for the assist, Master!" Florentine shouted, not wasting any time in pursuing the blessed pursuer. 

"Just keep it up!" Gael shouted, immediately placing himself back within invisibility.