Chapter 16: Lottery

“Wait, there’s been a lottery feature this whole time? Why didn’t you say anything?” Sage exclaimed, clearly taken aback.

The system stayed quiet.

[10x Lottery Draw—Available]

[Initiate Draw?]

Sage paused for a moment, feeling a rush of excitement—this was it, the kind of moment every isekai hero dreams about.

“Yes! Let’s do this!” he shouted, his eyes alight with excitement.

As the lights in the Guild Hall dimmed, a radiant golden magic panel appeared before him. Holographic runes whirled like a dazzling slot machine, creating an atmosphere thick with anticipation, as if fate itself was about to be revealed.

“This… this is it,” Sage breathed, feeling a lump in his throat. “My power-up arc.”

[Starting 10x Lottery Draw…]

The magic circle shone brightly, the runes flickered, and a beam of light shot down.

Sage held his breath as the light began to fade. Something was forming on the table.

A bag. A colorful bag. A bag he recognized all too well.

“No way,” he murmured, hardly able to believe it.

Thud.

A bag of Lays potato chips landed heavily on the table. Salted flavor—the most basic of all.

Sage stared at it, mouth agape, as if he’d been slap in the face. “System,” he said slowly, “I think something’s off here. Why… is there a bag of chips… from Earth?”

[Reward #1: Lays Potato Chips (Salted)]

“No! Don’t present it like it’s a prize! This is anything but ordinary!”

His voice echoed through the empty Guild Hall as he paced back and forth, his head in his hands. “A bag of chips?! How am I supposed to slay monsters with snacks? How do I build a Guild with this? ’Excuse me, sir, would you like to take on a mission? No? How about some Lays instead?’”

The system ignored his mounting frustration.

[Proceed to Draw #2?]

Sage took a deep breath. “Alright… maybe the first draw was just bad luck. Maybe the gods are just warming up for something epic.”

With a renewed sense of hope, he raised his fist and declared, “Let’s keep going!”

Once again, the glowing runes spun, brilliant light flashed, and another object descended. Sage leaned in eagerly…

Thud.

Another bag of potato chips plopped down on the table. Same flavor. Same size. Exactly the same.

Sage crumpled to his knees, defeated. “Why do you want me to suffer?”

The system chimed in helpfully: [Reward #2: Lays Potato Chips (Salted)]

“Stop acting like this is a prize! It’s just a snack!!”

He buried his face in his hands, imagining a future where his Guild wasn’t built on heroism but rather on potato chips.

“This Guild is doomed before it even gets started…”

But the system showed no mercy.

Sage dramatically wiped away a few tears. “Just do it. Finish me off completely.”

The circle spun again. Sage barely had the energy to stay upright. Light flashed, and something fell.

Clink.

Not a bag this time. No, this was worse: a bottle. A green plastic bottle.

“Oh no,” he whispered, approaching it cautiously as if it were something tragic. A bottle of Sprite.

[Reward #3: Sprite (500ml)]

Sage stared at it with hollow eyes. “What am I supposed to do with this? Set up a soda shop in a fantasy world? Open a bar? Become a merchant of carbonated despair?”

His gaze fell on the bottle. “And why is it cold?! Colder than my future?! And not even a diet Sprite?!” He picked it up, shook it in frustration, and groaned.

The system, as usual, remained impassive. [Continue Draw?]

Sage let out a long sigh. “Fine. Just keep going. Let’s see how deep this strange rabbit hole really goes.”

And so, the fourth draw began. Light, runes, beams. Another Sprite bottle appeared.

For a moment, Sage didn’t react; he simply stared blankly. He threw his arms up in exasperation. “Ten so-called divine draws and all I’ve gotten are chips and soda?! Am I creating a Guild or opening a snack shop?!”

He shook his fist at the heavens. “Do I look like I want to start ’Sage’s Discount Corner Store’?!”

The system cheerfully listed: [Reward #4: Sprite (500ml)]

Sage slumped back into his chair like a tired grandpa. “Just six more… I just have to get through six more…”

As the fifth draw began, a bright light flashed again, and something descended slowly, resembling a revered relic. Sage silently wished, “Please… anything but chips… or Sprite… anything but that…”

To his surprise, a folded set of clean brown tunic and trousers appeared in front of him.

He blinked in astonishment. “Wait a minute. This actually looks nice, a simple, clean, and comfy outfit!”

He held it up in disbelief. “Is it… normal?”

he whispered, a mix of shock and joy in his voice. “It’s really normal?! ” Then he burst into laughter, relief washing over him.

“Haha! I’ll take it! Yes! Finally! Something I can use.”

The system chimed in: [Reward #5: Basic Clean Garments (Set 1)]

“Yes! My luck is changing! System, let’s keep it going!”

For the Sixth Draw, he received another reward.

[Reward #6: Basic Clean Garments (Set 2)]

Sage held the second set like a man who had just stumbled upon water in the desert.

“Two sets of clean clothes… this is already a step up from Sprite…” He dramatically embraced the garments. “Come to papa!”

As he prepared for the Seventh Draw, the magic circle flickered oddly. Something small and flat emerged with an eerie familiarity.

Thump.

A pair of underwear. White. Basic. Modern. Sage stared at it for a solid five seconds. “No… way…”

The system chimed in, sounding almost smug: [Reward #7: Modern Earth Underwear (Men’s, Medium)]

Sage slammed his hands on the table. “Who is behind these prizes? A pervert?! A comedian?! Who on earth?!”

He held the underwear up between two fingers, treating it like hazardous waste. “Why medium?! Why men’s?! Why is this from Earth?! And why….why,is the quality so excellent?! This is Egyptian cotton!!!”

He felt a twitch in his eye as he raged inwardly. Meanwhile, the system remained utterly indifferent to his frustrations.

The eighth draw resulted in yet another pair of underwear. Sage felt a part of him shrink inside.

[Reward #8: Modern Earth Underwear (Men’s, Medium, Blue Trim)]

He threw his hands up in exasperation. “Fantastic! Now I have outfits for Tuesday and Thursday!”

He stared up at the ceiling, muttering, “God… if you’re up there… is this some kind of test?”

The ninth draw arrived, and light swirled once more. Sage watched with the resigned demeanor of a condemned man awaiting his fate. As the glow faded, something round landed in his palms,a bag.

Sage squeezed his eyes shut. “I already know what this will be.”

He opened them. Of course it was chips. He face-planted onto his desk.

[Reward #9: Lays Potato Chips (Salted)]

“Three bags… three! I am destined to be surrounded by potato chips!” He clutched the bags dramatically. “Is this my legacy?!”

The final draw commenced. Sage braced himself for impact. “System… if you give me socks or instant noodles, I swear I will scream.”

The light descended, solidifying… and… thud. Another bag of potato chips. Sage felt his soul leave his body.

[Reward #10: Lays Potato Chips (Salted)]

With a sigh of defeat, Sage lay face-down on the table, utterly still. “This… is the worst gacha system I’ve ever experienced…”

He managed to push himself up, counting his spoils: four bags of Lays, two bottles of Sprite, two sets of clean clothes, and two pairs of Earth underwear.

“This looks like the loot haul of a college student doing laundry.”

He rubbed his temples. “I didn’t just transmigrate… I’ve reincarnated as a broke college kid.”

He sighed deeply, wiping a few tears from his eyes. “Well… at least I won’t starve.”

He opened a bag of chips, took a bite, and sank back into his chair.

“Damn… these are good.”

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