A quiet smile spread across Arceus's face, slow and unfamiliar, like something rediscovered after being buried for years. The weight of his past, the debts, the broken relationships, the long nights of quiet failure, none of it surfaced now. It was as if those memories had been sealed behind a door he no longer needed to open, leaving only one clear thought echoing in his mind.
The future.
Not something distant.
Not something uncertain.
Something he could shape.
Something he could take back.
His fingers curled slightly at his side, a faint energy building in his chest, steady and warm, pushing him forward. For the first time in years, the path ahead didn't feel like a wall.
It felt like a door.
And it was open.
That surge of excitement carried him upward, lifting his thoughts, scattering his focus, until—
A sudden pause.
His expression stiffened slightly.
"…Wait."
The realization hit him like a delayed echo.
Someone was still downstairs.
"Damn—"
He straightened instantly, turning toward the stairs as his steps quickened, the wood creaking sharply beneath his hurried descent. The earlier lightness in his chest twisted into urgency, his breath tightening as he took the steps two at a time, his hand brushing against the railing for balance.
By the time he reached the ground floor, Harrison was already standing near the counter, composed as ever, the glow of his smartphone reflecting faintly against his glasses. The electronic contract draft hovered neatly on the screen, clean lines and structured clauses waiting for confirmation.
Arceus slowed, forcing himself to steady his breathing, to gather his composure before stepping forward.
The process began.
Simple.
Efficient.
Cold.
He signed where needed, each tap of his finger carrying a quiet finality.
Transfer of ownership.
Loan reassignment.
Exit agreement.
Each section unfolded and closed with seamless precision, the system verifying his identity, confirming his consent, locking each decision into place with silent authority.
It was smoother than he expected.
Too smooth.
The kind of smooth that didn't leave room for second thoughts.
The transaction completed.
Funds transferred instantly.
Just like that—
Five years of struggle condensed into a few taps and a silent confirmation.
When it was over, Harrison lowered the device and gave a small, respectful nod, his tone unchanged, professional to the last syllable.
"The loan liabilities are now cleared," he said. "You'll receive confirmation via system mail within twenty-four hours."
A brief pause followed.
Then—
"And remember," he added, his gaze steady, "you have one month to vacate. After that, company contractors will begin demolition."
The word lingered.
Demolition.
It didn't land loudly.
It didn't need to.
Arceus nodded.
Once.
Wordlessly.
But something inside him shifted.
That earlier excitement, bright and rising, dimmed slightly, like a flame brushed by an unseen wind. His eyes drifted across the store, moving slowly now, taking in the shelves, the counter, the worn edges of the floor, the quiet hum of a place that had endured more than it should have.
This place—
It wasn't just a shop.
It was five years of stubborn survival.
Five years of refusing to give up.
And now—
It had an end date.
Harrison turned without another word, his steps calm and measured as he walked out, the glass door opening with a soft creak before closing behind him.
He didn't take a single item.
Not one of the eggs.
Not the feed.
Not the accessories.
All of it remained exactly where it was, as if the earlier transaction had been something abstract, something that existed only in numbers and agreements.
The street outside remained quiet, untouched by what had just happened inside.
Arceus stood there for a moment longer.
Then he walked forward.
The glass door clicked shut.
The lock turned.
A small sound.
Final.
Not the last time.
But close enough to feel like it.
He lingered for half a second, his hand resting lightly against the door before pulling away.
Then—
He turned.
And went back upstairs.
***
The room greeted him the same way it always had.
Still.
Unchanged.
Arceus sank into his old chair, the wood creaking faintly beneath his weight as he leaned back, his head tilting slightly until his gaze settled on the ceiling.
Time passed.
Quietly.
The number sat in his account now.
1,150,000 credits.
Neat.
Clean.
Enough to rewrite everything.
Yet—
He wasn't thinking about it.
Not really.
His thoughts had already moved elsewhere.
His hand rose slowly.
"System."
System Online
[Main Quests]
[Summoner Shop]
[Lottery Wheel]
The interface unfolded before him, familiar yet still carrying that faint sense of something unreal.
His gaze lingered briefly—
Then shifted.
The last option.
Untouched.
He tapped it.
The screen responded instantly.
The interface shifted, dissolving into motion as a circular wheel emerged, gold-rimmed and precise, divided into thirty-six equal segments. Each partition pulsed softly, some glowing with faint symbols, others empty, silent, waiting.
Six segments bore the image of a Pterosaur, each marked with multipliers.
x1.
x2.
x3.
x5.
x10.
x20.
Fifteen others shimmered with coins, their values climbing steadily from x1 to x500.
One segment—
A question mark.
The rest—
Blank.
Not empty.
Unknown.
The wheel turned slightly, as if alive, reacting to his attention.
Then—
A prompt.
Use 11x Summon Ticket?
Arceus didn't hesitate.
He tapped.
Yes.
The wheel spun.
Fast.
Bright.
A blur of gold and light as the segments melted into one another, circling rapidly, almost violently, before gradually slowing, each rotation growing heavier, more deliberate, like a pendulum losing momentum.
The room felt quieter.
Tighter.
Each second stretching just a little longer than it should.
Then—
It stopped.
The results began to appear.
One by one.
Lightning Pterosaur Shard x8
Coin x20
Lightning Pterosaur Shard x5
Lightning Pterosaur Shard x3
Coin x140
Blank
Lightning Pterosaur Shard x6
Lightning Pterosaur Shard x4
Coin x82
Blank
Blank
Ding!
[You earned, Lightning Pterosaur Shard: x26, Store Coins: +342]
Arceus exhaled slowly, his shoulders relaxing just a fraction.
"Not bad… for a free ticket…"
He tapped the shard icon.
Monster: Lightning Pterosaur (Wind + Lightning Affinity)
Rarity: Epic
Assimilation Requirement: 100 shards
Progress: 26 / 100
He leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing as interest flickered.
"A flying-type…" he murmured. "But lower potential than a direwolf…"
A small shrug followed.
"Figures. Black is a starter reward. Of course it's broken."
His gaze shifted.
Coins: 1342.
Enough.
Two more pulls.
Maybe three if luck leaned his way.
His fingers hovered.
Paused.
Then—
Moved.
"One more round."
Confirm: Spend 500 Store Coins?
"Confirmed."
The wheel spun again.
This time slower from the start.
Heavier.
Like something unseen was watching.
Waiting.
The seconds stretched.
Then—
Ding! You earned, Lightning Pterosaur Shard: x44, Store Coins: +80
A low whistle slipped from his lips.
"Seventy shards already…"
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"Just thirty more…"
His hand hovered again over the button.
A familiar tension crept in.
Should he stop?
Or push?
The button glowed faintly.
Waiting.
He tapped.
Again.
The wheel spun.
But this time—
It felt different.
Shorter.
Colder.
Ding! You earned Lightning Pterosaur Shards: x8, Store Coins: +102
Arceus blinked.
"Just eight…?"
The numbers updated.
[Total Lightning Pterosaur Shards: 78 / 100, Store Coins Remaining: 524]
"Twenty-two more…" he murmured, his voice tightening slightly. "One more spin should be enough…"
Should.
The word lingered.
Thin.
Uncertain.
His fingers hovered again.
Then—
Pressed.
"Let's end this."
The coins vanished.
The wheel spun.
Slow.
Painfully slow.
Each tick dragging against his nerves, the light circling again and again as his stomach tightened slightly, anticipation twisting into something sharper.
It slowed.
Further.
Then—
Stopped.
Ding! You earned Lightning Pterosaur Shards: x4, Store Coins: +38
Silence.
Complete.
Arceus didn't move.
Didn't blink.
For a moment, it felt like everything had just… stalled.
"What the…"
The screen updated.
[Lightning Pterosaur Shard Total: 82 / 100, Coins Remaining: 62]
The numbers sat there.
Mocking.
Unfinished.
"Fk."
The word slipped out flatly.
He leaned back slowly, his body sinking into the chair as if the weight of that single decision had suddenly returned tenfold.
"I truly fuc*ed up…"
The room swallowed his voice.
From the windowsill, Black paused mid-play, its head tilting slightly, ears twitching at the shift in tone, confusion flickering in its bright eyes.
"I could've bought more Direwolf eggs…" Arceus muttered, his jaw tightening as his gaze dropped. "Could've focused on one thing…"
His fingers curled.
"But no…"
His voice hardened slightly, frustration rising.
"I chased the second option like a gambling idiot…"
A bitter breath escaped him.
"When will you ever learn…"
The feeling settled in.
Familiar.
Unwelcome.
Heavy.
It tasted the same as before.
That same pattern.
That same mistake.
Shortcuts.
Risks.
Chasing faster results instead of building something steady.
Years ago, he had done the same.
Loans.
Investments.
Hiring trainers he couldn't afford.
Paying influencers for exposure that never converted.
Each decision made in the name of growth—
But built on impatience.
And each one had dragged him deeper.
Into debt.
Into failure.
Into a life that had collapsed piece by piece until there was nothing left.
And now—
Even with a second chance.
Even with a system.
He had done it again.
The realization didn't shout.
It settled.
Quiet.
Cold.
And undeniable.