Chapter 2: In Another World

I felt a bit ticklish on my cheek as if something was licking it.

I could hear the rush of fast-moving water nearby.

Blinking groggily, I opened my eyes and saw a large wolf with ash-gray fur standing over me.

“Bau! Bau!” the wolf barked excitedly.

“Janbo?” I muttered in disbelief.

Without hesitation, the massive gray wolf pounced on me, tail wagging wildly.

Above its head, glowing letters floated in the air:

Janbo – The Great Spirit Wolf

“Figures. You’d need an upgrade if you’re tagging along into another world,” I said, smiling as I ruffled his head.

I glanced around.

God Chaelon must’ve dropped us off near a riverbank, far from any towns or settlements.

The sky overhead was unusually bright, yet no sun was in sight at least, not like the one I remembered.

Then I noticed something odd.

Two shadows stretched slowly on either side of me.

I looked around just above the horizon.

Two suns are rising from two opposite sides.

They were just now rising, bathing the land in twin morning light.

Still groggy and parched, I crouched by the river to take a drink.

But as I leaned over the surface, I recoiled in shock.

Staring back at me wasn’t the man who’d turned thirty just hours ago.

It was my fifteen-year old self, black hair, chestnut eyes, and no belly.

I yanked up my shirt and confirmed it: flat stomach, lean build.

“Looks like Janbo isn’t the only one who got an upgrade,” I murmured.

God Chaelon really hit the reset button on me.

My body felt light, probably the best shape I'd ever been in.

Then it hit me.

God Chaelon did say I could still use my phone… and that he added some new features.

I instinctively reached for my pocket, but it was empty.

I glanced around the riverbank where I’d woken up, but my phone was nowhere to be found.

The divine tools Chaelon lent me were missing too.

“Janbo, did you see my phone?” I asked, hoping the wolf had noticed something.

As soon as I said the word “phone,” it suddenly materialized in my right hand.

“…Phone?” I tried again and it disappeared.

“Phone.” It appeared again.

“Huh. Neat trick,” I muttered, opening it.

As expected, there was no signal.

No mobile network.

No internet.

I wasn’t even sure why I checked.

While scrolling through the apps, I noticed a new one.

Divine Gacha.

The name sounded sketchy, but with "gacha" in it, how could I resist?

I tapped the icon, and a virtual gacha machine popped up on the screen.

It had multiple categories, Food, Weapons, Tools, even Mystery.

So this must be what God Chaelon meant by “new features.”

Right then, my stomach growled loud enough to echo.

Definitely not Janbo this time… just me, still running on an empty stomach thanks to that whole suicide bomber situation.

My eyes landed on a glowing button under the Food Gacha machine.

Free 1 pull per day.

Perfect.

I know it might sound dumb, especially when I should be prioritizing weapons or armor but honestly, it’s hard to think or move when your stomach's empty.

So I went ahead and used my one free daily pull.

Congratulations! You’ve won: SR ×10 Hamburger Steak.

No way.

That’s an amazing pull!

Now the question was, how do I actually get it?

I poked around the Divine Gacha app and eventually found a “Gacha Box” tab.

Looks like that’s where claimed items are stored.

Claim 1× Hamburger Steak.

In an instant, it appeared in my hand, warm to the touch, like it had just been freshly cooked.

The packaging even looked like something straight out of a convenience store.

Janbo stared at me with laser focus as I opened the box.

I wasn’t sure if feeding a spirit wolf convenience store food was a good idea, but considering his new title, Great Spirit Wolf, I figured he could handle it.

So I went back and claimed a second hamburger steak.

After removing the utensils, I set one beside Janbo.

“It’s yours. Go ahead and eat,” I told him.

He gave me one last look, then happily dug in.

I followed suit, savoring each bite of the meal I miraculously pulled from a virtual gacha.

Looks like I got to eat my favorite food after all.

Then, my phone which had somehow made its way into my pocket… buzzed and lit up.

A new message from God Chaelon.

“Happy 30th birthday. I hope you enjoy my gift, the Divine Gacha app.”

Yeah... I think I really do. I continued reading, curious what else this “gift” had in store.

"I forgot to send you the manual for your Divine Tools, so I’ll just explain how to use them and what they do," the message from God Chaelon began.

But I don’t even have them yet, I thought as I kept reading.

“To summon each tool, say its keyword:

‘Coin’ for the Coin of Fortune.

‘Dice’ for the Die of Potential,

and ‘Card’ for the Card of Ability.

Simple enough, right?”

I could almost feel Chaelon smirking as he wrote that.

“The Coin of Fortune lets you reverse any damage dealt to you during the past minute, if it lands on heads.

As long as you’re still alive and you flip heads, you’ll instantly return to full health.

You can only use it ten times per day.

(Reminder: Use it before you die.)”***

That last bit sent a chill down my spine.

What kind of world did he just toss me into?

“The Die of Potential multiplies your base stats depending on your roll.

It lasts one minute and can be used ten times a day.

(Reminder: Don’t roll more than two dice per minute unless absolutely necessary.

You’re here to restore luck, not break the world.)”***

Sounds fair… I guess. I scrolled down to the last tool.

“Lastly, the Card of Ability.

You can draw one card per day.

Each card grants a unique ability, similar to your world’s tarot cards.

Drawing a card allows you to borrow the power and knowledge tied to it for a few minutes.

(Reminder: Each use costs 10 Luck. If your Luck hits zero, the Coin will always land tails, and the Dice will always roll ones.

You can only restore Luck by defeating creatures that are draining this world of it.)”***

“You’re starting with 100 Luck.

You can spend one Luck for an extra toss of the Coin of Fortune, an extra roll on Die of Potentials or even an extra pull on the divine gacha.

Make sure to stop at the nearest guild a few kilometers on your side of the river and register.

Good luck and make sure to spend your luck wisely.
– God Chaelon.”

I let out a long sigh.

So basically… only use these tools when facing something ridiculous that robs this world’s fortune.

Great power really does come with a price.

Guess my first stop is the guild.

I followed the direction God Chaelon had mentioned in his message.

Sensing our destination, Janbo trotted a few steps ahead, occasionally glancing around to scout the surroundings and make sure the path was safe.

It was reassuring to have him by my side.

Honestly, if I were alone in this unfamiliar world, I’d probably feel overwhelmed or worse, lost.

For that, I was truly grateful to God Chaelon.

After walking for nearly half an hour, a town came into view.

It looked straight out of a fantasy story, complete with stone walls and a large sturdy wooden gate.

Janbo moved closer, walking beside me as we approached the entrance.

“Traveler, may I see your Guild Card?” asked one of the armored guards standing by the gate.

What …I can understand him? That realization struck me mid-thought, but I instinctively responded.

“Ah, sorry. I don’t have one yet. I came here to register.”

The guard furrowed his brow, eyeing both me and Janbo with a hint of curiosity.

“An unregistered tamer?” the other guard muttered.

“You don’t look like you’re from around here,” he added.

“Yeah… I came from a distant place, just me and my companion,” I said, trying to keep my explanation vague.

It would've been nice if God Chaelon included a quick guide about this world, I thought bitterly.

“Place your hand here and state your name,” the first guard instructed, holding out a black stone tablet.

“Raki Kouno,” I said, pressing my right hand against the tablet.

The strange symbols etched on its surface began to glow softly with a white light.

“You’re good to go,” the guard said with a nod.

“Just make sure your spirit wolf behaves while you’re inside the town”, he added.

“The Guild is just five blocks straight from here.

Once you reach the corner, turn right.

You can’t miss it.

It’s right in the center of town and easily the biggest building around,” the guard added helpfully.

Despite this world clearly having a different language.

It was strange, comforting even how we could understand each other perfectly just by speaking and listening normally.

Another gift from God Chaelon, perhaps.

With all the walking and the heat from this world’s twin suns, I could feel thirst creeping in.

Even with my younger, more fit body, I found myself wishing for something as simple as a bottle of water.

Janbo, beside me, looked a little parched too.

As we wandered through town, I spotted something that caught my eye, a water dispenser, or at least something that resembled one.

A man had just finished using it, placing his hand on some glowing writing before taking a drink from the flowing water, like a small spring.

Curious, I waited until he walked off, then approached and placed my hand where he did.

Nothing happened.

Janbo tilted his head and looked up at me with what I could only interpret as disappointment.

“Are you a traveler?” a voice chimed in unexpectedly.

Turning around, I saw a girl about the same apparent age as me.

Well, the age of this version of me.

“I just arrived in town to register at the Guild,” I replied with a polite smile.

“Ah, that explains it,” she said. “These fountains don’t work for anyone who’s not registered with a Guild.

It’s a system tied to your identity.”

“I see,” I nodded.

“Don’t worry. I’ll activate it for you this time,” she said kindly, touching the same spot with her hand.

Water flowed instantly.

Without wasting a moment, I filled up a handful and drank gratefully.

The girl did the same, offering it to Janbo.

He sniffed it once and eagerly drank it up from her palm.

“Thanks,” I said, genuinely grateful.

“I’m Raki Kouno and this is Janbo,” I added, giving her a quick introduction.

“I’m Reimei. Nice to meet you, Raki… and Janbo,” she said cheerfully, giving us both a warm smile.

“So, are you two heading to the Guild?” she asked.

“Sort of… I'm planning to register,” I replied.

“Perfect! I’m heading there too, so let me show you the way,” she offered without hesitation.

I gladly accepted her offer, and the three of us began walking together.

Just like the guard mentioned, the Guild building was impossible to miss.

Towering over the nearby structures, it stood out as the largest and most prominent building in town.

“We’re here,” Reimei announced as we reached the entrance.

She pointed toward a counter where several women stood behind what looked like a reception desk.

“You can register over there”, Reimei stated.

“I’ll catch you later. My friend’s probably been waiting a while, I kind of overslept,” she added with a sheepish grin.

“See you around, Raki!” she waved before hurrying off in the opposite direction.

I watched her disappear into the crowd, a faint smile forming on my face.

What an energetic girl, I thought, before turning my attention to the registration counter and walking forward.