Lying on his bed, stomach down, David stared blankly at the wall, his thoughts circling back to the mutants. It had been two days since his first match, and his first real loss. He kept telling himself that he didn't care, that it was just one of many battles to come. Yet, deep down, it still stung. And why wouldn't it? He was just an ordinary guy before all of this—a college student, balancing classes, friends, and gym sessions, simply working toward his future. Nothing extraordinary. Sure, he stayed in shape, but he never pushed anyone around. Growing up in an orphanage, he knew what it felt like to be vulnerable, to have no one standing up for you. He would never be that kind of person.
But that ordinary life felt so far away now. The memories were hazy, a distant echo of a reality that no longer applied here. How long had it been since he'd been whisked out of his world and dropped into this one? One moment, he'd been taking a power nap in his cramped dorm room, and the next, he'd woken up in a world he'd only seen in comic books and movies—one of the most dangerous fictional universes he could imagine. The kind of place where people with extraordinary abilities fought daily for survival, each day bringing the risk of death or worse.
The shock had hit him hard at first. Panic, terror, disbelief—it all surged through him like a tidal wave. But then, amid that fear, he discovered the Gacha system. It was his lifeline, his secret edge in this brutal new reality. Somehow, he'd been given access to a system that allowed him to acquire powers and abilities through random draws. The sheer absurdity of it was overwhelming. It was like he'd been turned into the main character of some fanfiction. An orphan, transported to another world, with a system at his fingertips—who wouldn't think they were the protagonist?
That sense of destiny, of special purpose, had been intoxicating. For a moment, he let himself believe it. Maybe he really was here for a reason. Maybe he was meant to change things, to bring some kind of balance or justice to this chaotic world. The Gacha system fed into that illusion, offering him a taste of power he'd never dreamed of. He began training, experimenting with his new abilities, feeling his confidence grow with each new skill he unlocked.
But then came the first real test—and the harsh reminder of reality. In his last encounter, he'd made the mistake of using a limited transformation card. Looking back, he realized how foolish it had been. He could have saved them, but instead, he wasted precious time trying to make an impression, crafting a powerful image for himself. He wanted to be seen, to feel like he was making a difference. But that hesitation, that need to be noticed, cost him more than he could have imagined.
He had anticipated Hydra's involvement, or the brutality they would bring. If he'd acted immediately, if he'd struck without hesitation, things could have ended differently. He could have saved lives. Instead, his delay had led to disaster. By the time he realized the gravity of the situation, it was already too late. People had died. And in the silence that followed, he couldn't escape the grim truth gnawing at him: it was his fault.
David clenched his fists against the bedspread, feeling the weight of that guilt settle over him. If he hadn't intervened, maybe they would have only been captured. Maybe Hydra would have tortured them, but at least they would have been alive, with a chance to escape, to take revenge, to reclaim their lives. They would have had a future—a future he had stolen from them through his carelessness.
In the world he'd come from, mistakes had consequences, but they were rarely this severe. A failed exam, a missed opportunity, a broken friendship—these were things he could recover from. Here, though, even a single misstep could cost lives, and that cost was etched into his mind now, an unshakeable burden.
For the first time since he'd arrived, he felt the weight of this reality fully pressing down on him. This wasn't a game. He wasn't some invincible protagonist who would always bounce back. This world didn't care about his story, his ambitions, or his excuses. It was ruthless, and the people here were real, with lives he had now irrevocably affected. They'd died because of him. And that cold, undeniable truth haunted him, making it impossible to sleep.
The Gacha, the system, his abilities—they all felt hollow now, shadows of the confidence he'd once felt. The idea that he might be some sort of hero was slipping away, replaced by a raw understanding of just how fragile and human he truly was. He'd been given power, yes, but he wasn't ready for the responsibility that came with it. He didn't know if he'd ever be.
Rolling onto his back, David stared at the ceiling, the weight of his choices pressing down on him. The mutants, Hydra, the Gacha—all of it felt like a whirlwind he'd been caught in, a storm he wasn't sure he'd survive. But as the minutes ticked by in the darkness, he knew one thing: he couldn't stay like this, frozen by guilt and regret. If he was going to survive, if he was going to make a difference, he had to learn from this. He had to be stronger, faster, and smarter.
But for now, all he could do was lie there, feeling the crushing weight of his own actions. This was a new world, one that didn't forgive mistakes, and he had no choice but to keep moving forward—even if he wasn't sure he deserved a second chance.
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Author's pov
I Removed all for one.