When the blinding glow softened this time, it didn't fade into silence.
It melted.
Like light dissolving into warmth.
The towering figure shrank, the sharp edges of power folding inward, condensing, compressing—until the massive direwolf was gone, replaced once again by the small, round-bodied pup, rolling lazily on the floor as if nothing extraordinary had happened.
"Woof!"
The sound was light.
Playful.
Almost smug.
Arceus stood there, frozen, his mind still catching up to what his eyes had just witnessed. The contrast was so absurd that for a second, reality itself felt like it had slipped sideways.
"What the—!"
He dropped to a crouch instantly, fingers already moving as he pulled up Black's profile, his eyes scanning every detail with sharp focus.
***
Black
Species: Luminous Direwolf
Level: 10
Status: Suppressed to Level 1
New Skill Unlocked:
[Mimic Pup Form] – Conceals actual level and strength by reverting to pup appearance.
[Radiant Veil] – Automatically generates a defensive light shield.
***
A beat passed.
Then—
Arceus burst out laughing.
Not a small chuckle.
A full, unrestrained laugh that shook his shoulders, his head tipping back as the tension of the past few days cracked open and spilled out all at once.
"Black… you little trickster!"
He scooped the pup up without hesitation, pulling it into his chest, pressing his cheek against its soft fur and rubbing it gently, almost like he was reassuring himself that it was real.
"I love this ability," he said, his voice bright with genuine delight. "Absolutely love it."
Black squealed in response, a tiny, happy sound, its small body wriggling as it pushed its head into his palm, nuzzling deeper, as if claiming him just as much as he claimed it.
For a moment—
Everything slowed.
No system.
No danger.
No calculations.
Just warmth.
And quiet.
Arceus didn't speak.
Didn't think.
He simply held onto that small, living weight in his arms, letting himself breathe.
***
Eventually, reality crept back in.
It always did.
With a small exhale, he opened his interface again, his eyes settling on the coin balance.
500 coins.
Enough.
Just enough.
For two very different paths.
He leaned back slightly, Black still in his arms, his fingers absentmindedly tracing through its fur as his thoughts sharpened again.
"Five Direwolf eggs…" he murmured.
Safe.
Reliable.
Guaranteed returns.
A steady climb.
The path he had promised himself he would follow.
No more reckless gambles.
No more shortcuts.
Just growth.
Slow.
Controlled.
But then—
The memory hit.
The barrier.
The timer.
Serestia collapsing in his arms.
Twelve seconds.
That was all that stood between survival and being trapped.
His jaw tightened slightly.
"…or the lottery."
Uncertain.
Risky.
Unpredictable.
But—
Potential.
Power.
Another monster.
Another layer of protection.
His fingers stilled.
His gaze hardened slightly.
"This isn't just about business anymore…"
A quiet pause followed.
"…it's about staying alive."
He lowered Black gently onto the bed, the pup curling instinctively into a soft ball, already drifting back into sleep as if the world outside its dreams didn't exist.
Arceus stared at the interface.
At the button.
At the choice.
Then—
He made it.
"Let's leave this to fate."
His voice was quiet.
But firm.
"If I get at least 100 coins… I go back to business."
A small breath.
"If not… I stop."
His finger hovered.
Then—
Clicked.
The wheel ignited.
Light spun outward, the segments blurring into motion, faster and faster until individual outcomes became indistinguishable, a swirling storm of possibility.
Arceus didn't blink.
Didn't look away.
The wheel slowed.
Gradually.
Each tick heavier than the last.
Then—
Stopped.
Ding!
Lightning Pterosaur Shard x2
Coin x12
Lightning Pterosaur Shard x1
Lightning Pterosaur Shard x3
Coin x5
Blank
Coin x7
Lightning Pterosaur Shard x12
Coin x44
Blank
Lightning Pterosaur Shard x4
Ding! You have obtained: 22x Lightning Pterosaur Shards, 68 Coins
Arceus's eyes widened.
"Twenty-two… shards?"
His gaze snapped to the progress bar.
***
Monster: Lightning Pterosaur (Wind + Lightning Affinity)
Rarity: Epic
Assimilation Requirement: 100 shards
Progress: 104 / 100
***
For a second—
Silence.
Then—
His fist clenched.
Tight.
A sharp breath left him.
"I won."
Not loud.
But certain.
"I actually won."
A grin spread across his face, sharp and bright, something fierce flickering behind it.
"This time… I did it right."
No hesitation.
"Assimilate."
***
Ding!
Ding!
[Lightning Pterosaur Shard ×100 Assimilated]
[Lightning Pterosaur egg (Summon Token) has been added to your Inventory]
[Side Quest 1: Obtain a Second Monster – Completed! 300 Coins have been added to the Balance.]
[Lightning Pterosaur is detected to be from Lottery. Rejected from the Summoner's shop.]
[New Product Added: Blood Coagulation Pill]
[4 Remaining Lightning Pterosaur Shards dismantled. 40 Coins have been added.]
[Lottery Wheel has been refreshed]
***
Arceus blinked.
"Rejected?"
The word stood out.
Sharp.
Out of place.
He read it again.
Slower.
Understanding settled in.
"So… lottery monsters can't be sold…"
His fingers tapped lightly against his knee.
"Meaning…"
A small exhale.
"They're purely for personal strength."
For a moment, disappointment flickered.
Then—
Faded.
He already had multiple Direwolf variants.
This—
This was different.
This was his.
Not business.
Not profit.
Power.
"…fine," he muttered. "I'll take it."
He moved on quickly, pulling up the Summoner's Shop again, his eyes scanning the updated list.
Then—
He stopped.
***
Item: Blood Coagulation Pill
Price: 3,000 Coins
***
He blinked.
"Three thousand?!"
The number felt almost ridiculous compared to everything else he had seen so far.
He clicked.
The description unfolded.
And as he read—
His expression changed.
Slowly.
From confusion.
To understanding.
Then—
To something deeper.
"A pill… that lets anyone form a spirit bond…"
His voice dropped slightly.
"…even without a mana core."
He leaned forward.
Interest sharp.
Dangerous.
"Temporary… sixty minutes…"
His eyes narrowed.
"…but the cost…"
Not just coins.
But the body.
Fatigue.
Weakness.
Strain.
He leaned back again, exhaling slowly.
"Three hundred thousand credits worth… for one hour…"
A faint scoff escaped him.
"Who would even buy this?"
A pause.
Then—
His gaze shifted.
Toward Black.
Toward the sleeping pup.
Toward the memory of the dungeon.
Toward Serestia.
His expression dimmed slightly.
"…I wouldn't even dare list it."
The thought was honest.
Heavy.
"For now…"
He closed the panel.
"…this stays untouched."
A beat passed.
Then—
His eyes lifted again.
Toward the wheel.
A faint, dangerous glint flickered back to life.
"Lottery Wheel…"
Arceus lingered for a moment on the glowing interface, his gaze narrowing as he studied the newly refreshed Lottery Wheel. The segments no longer carried the familiar silhouette of the Lightning Pterosaur. Instead, something heavier now occupied those spaces.
A beast.
White fur, thick and rugged, stretched over a lean, muscular frame. Its curved fangs extended like daggers from its jaw, and its glowing eyes seemed to stare right through the screen, feral and untamed.
Arceus tapped it.
***
Smilodon
Grade: Epic
Attributes: Fire
Potential: Level 40
***