Kazuki's eyes fluttered open with great difficulty. A dull ache pulsed in his skull, pounding in slow, rhythmic waves.
"Where… am I?" he mumbled, voice hoarse.
The damp, cold ground bit into his back. The earthly, musty smell of dirt filled the air. A sudden chilly breeze whispered across his skin, sending a shiver down his spine.
Groaning, he pushed himself up. Rough rocks dug into his palms, scraping his skin. He sat there for a moment, breathing heavily, as his senses slowly caught up to him.
Blinking through the dark cave, dim light illuminated by moonlight, he looked around. Sharp and jagged columns rose from the ground, blackish green moss clung to the wall and ceiling.
He frowned. "A cave? Seriously?" His voice echoed back at him, thin and distorted. "What is this… a discount isekai setup?"
He shifted slightly, the crunch of gravel under him loud in the silence. The stillness felt unnatural, like the cave itself was holding its breath.
Then—
Click.
A sharp sound rang in his ear, crisp and mechanical. He froze.
A glowing screen flickered in front of his eyes, transparent—vibrant blue text shining through the darkness.
[Congratulations! "Kazuki," you have been chosen as the heir of the Chaos System.]
[For more instructions, open your status screen.]
Kazuki stared at the message.
Once.
Twice.
"...What."
He blinked again, rubbed his eyes, and leaned closer—just to be sure it wasn't some weird afterimage from hitting his head too hard.
But the screen remained, floating. Waiting.
"A system message…? Like in a game?" he muttered. "No… no way."
His heart began to race—half from panic, half from something dangerously close to excitement.
This had to be a prank. Or a dream. Or a breakdown.
But if it wasn't...
His gaze dropped to his own hands—cut and bruised, but very real.
Back in his old life, he'd been an office drone. The kind of guy who lived off vending machine coffee, skipped lunch breaks, and spent nights grinding MMORPGs instead of sleeping. No purpose. No power. Just… existing.
But now—
He swallowed hard.
Could this actually be real?
"...This is insane," he muttered. Then louder, voice shaking with disbelief and the tiniest spark of desperate hope: "Is this really happening?"
A crooked grin pulled at the corner of his mouth. "So this is it, huh? The overpowered protagonist arc?"
He stood up—wobbly, but determined—and raised a hand toward the screen like he'd seen a hundred anime characters do.
"STATUS!" he declared, as if the heavens were about to open.
Nothing.
A beat.
Then, with the enthusiasm of a half-dead sloth, a new screen blinked into view.
System Name: Chaos System
Level: 1
Class: None
Attributes:
Strength: 5
Agility: 4
Intelligence: 7
Willpower: 1 (Pathetic)
Vitality: 10
Special Resource: Mana
Affiliation: None
Race: Human
Relics: None
Combat Skills: None
Titles & Perks: None
Special System Quests:
[Quest Available]
Kazuki stared.
"...Are you kidding me?"
No legendary sword. No god-tier stats. Not even a basic attack skill?
"I thought I'd be OP! Where's my cheat ability? My harem of loyal waifus?! The hell is this starter pack nonsense?!"
He kicked a rock. It bounced off a wall and hit him in the shin.
"Ow! F—!"
The [Quest Available] icon blinked steadily.
Still grumbling, Kazuki tapped the prompt.
[MISSION]
Leave The Cave
Rank: E
Objective: Get the hell out.
Rewards: +100 XP
Bonus Rewards: Skill upon completion without getting injured.
Failure Consequence: DEATH (Because why not?)
Kazuki's stomach dropped.
"...Death?"
The word pulsed in glowing red, surrounded by tiny pixelated skulls grinning at him like they knew something he didn't.
"...Okay. No pressure or anything."
The cave suddenly felt darker. The walls pressed in. Even the faint chirping of insects sounded like a death omen.
He swallowed. "How hard could it be…?"
He took one cautious step forward. Gravel crunched beneath his foot—absurdly loud in the silence.
Second step. A faint drip drip drip echoed somewhere deeper in the cave. Or was it footsteps? No, that was just paranoia. Probably.
Third step—
SCREEEEEECH.
"AAAH—!"
Kazuki flailed backward as a flurry of wings exploded from above. A cloud of bats shot out like flying darts, brushing past his face and into the tunnel beyond.
He stood frozen, heart pounding, hands shielding his head.
"...Okay," he wheezed. "So the cave has jump scares. Cool. Love that. Very immersive. 10/10 environment design."
A familiar ding! chimed.
[You have completed the mission: Leave The Cave]
[Reward: +100 XP]
[Level Up! → Level 2]
[Bonus Objective Cleared! Skill Unlock: Spin the Gacha Wheel!]
Kazuki blinked. "Wait… what?"
"...Gacha?" he muttered. "Please don't mean what I think it means."
Another screen unfolded in front of him—bright, colorful, and completely at odds with the cave's ominous vibe. It was a wheel. A big one. A tacky, carnival-style monstrosity divided into absurd segments:
->Meteor Fist Punch
->Summon: Mini Dragon
->Immortal Shield
->Exploding Chicken
->Infinite Void Spin Attack
->Bread Barrage
At the center, a pulsing red button read:
[SPIN TO WIN! FOR CHAOS AND GLORY!]
Kazuki stared at it. Then rubbed his temples.
"…This system was designed by a lunatic."
He reached toward the screen. "Alright. Let's just get this over wi—"
"WAIT, WAIT!" he blurted, pulling his hand back. "Hold on. I have horrible luck in gacha games. I spent two months trying to pull a 5-star healer and got nothing but ugly raccoons."
The button pulsed brighter.
[Come on. What's the worst that could happen? (>ᴗ•)]
"...That's what I'm afraid of," Kazuki muttered.
He sighed, then slapped the button.
The wheel spun violently—colors blurring, icons flashing.
"C'mon… dragon. Give me the dragon. I can work with a dragon…"
It slowed.
Click.
Click.
Click...
DING!
[Congratulations! You have obtained: Exploding Chicken Summon]
Silence.
Kazuki stared at the screen. Then at the icon—a chubby, cartoon chicken with a deranged smile and a lit fuse on its head.
"...Exploding. Chicken."
The screen shimmered cheerfully, like it hadn't just dropped a war crime wrapped in feathers onto his lap.
"...That better be a metaphor," he whispered.
The chicken icon winked. It was not a metaphor.
"...I'm going to die."
He fell to his knees, the enormity of his fate—apparently tied to volatile poultry—weighing heavily on his shoulders.
Confetti burst across the screen. Cartoon feathers floated gently through the air.
[A true heir of chaos begins not with power, but with panic.]
[Good luck.]
Kazuki exhaled, long and trembling. "Alright. Fine. Exploding Chicken it is."
He stood, dusted himself off, and took a shaky step toward the mouth of the cave. The forest beyond loomed, dark and full of god-knows-what.
"Let's go be a protagonist," he muttered.
Then added under his breath, "…Please don't explode on me, chicken."