Chapter 2: S-Rank Gacha

“Ugh, Ughhh……”

The crashing sound of waves hit my ears.

The cold seawater periodically crashed against my body before receding.

“C-cold……”

I forced my heavy body to move.

I managed to lie down on the dry sand.

Soaked clothes, screaming muscles, panting lungs.

It was hard enough to kill me, but I didn’t seem to be dead.

‘Am I alive?’

Looking around, I found myself on an unfamiliar island.

Ahead were rocks and a dense forest.

Behind me lay the endless, vast ocean.

Any guy who’d read the Robison Crusoe series and the Survival series since childhood would realize it.

that this was an uninhabited island where no one lived.

‘What happened to my teammates?’

The last memory surfaced belatedly in my mind.

The moment I was framed and almost became a sex offender.

Suddenly, the ship tilted, and I was swept into the sea.

‘Ha! I don’t know whether to consider this fortunate or unfortunate.’

If I had stayed, I would likely have been branded a criminal.

Even if I somehow proved my innocence, I would have been blacklisted in the industry by then.

Either way, it was a checkmate for me.

‘Though I’m not sure being shipwrecked on an uninhabited island is fortunate either.’

I forced my trembling body to sit up.

I took off my drenched clothes and wrung them out.

Seawater dripped down with a ‘huduk huduk’ sound.

Not only was it heavy, but the waterlogged clothes were cold.

In this situation, hypothermia would be the end of me.

“I’m not exactly Robinson Crusoe, so the question is what I do now.”

I considered drawing damn Mickey Mouse, but stopped.

It seemed like a waste of energy.

“Just waiting here to be rescued would be overly optimistic, right?”

The ship I was on was enormous.

With passengers and crew combined, there had to be hundreds.

But hundreds of people in the vast ocean were like grains of sand in a desert.

If I just waited for rescue, I might die of dehydration.

‘Securing water has to be the priority.’

Water that gushed out just by turning the faucet at home.

But that’s because South Korea has excellent water infrastructure.

Finding drinking water on an island like this is like reaching for the stars.

“Usually, games and comics just give you basic drinking water. Is there none of that here?”

All I had in my pocket was a single lemon candy.

It was a snack I’d brought for Hye-jeong.

Thinking about it now, what idiotic timing.

“I wish I had at least some luggage that washed ashore with me. I’m completely alone. Utterly destitute.”

-Ttirring!

Just then, a cheerful notification sound echoed in my ears, and a hologram window popped up.

【Welcome, Seong Jinwoo-nim! From now on, you must survive on the island.】

“…..What is this?”

Regardless of my question, the message window continued to speak(?).

【You have been given a basic Main Quest, which you must clear through survival.】

【Awakened Skills will help you clear the Quest.】

【Upon death, the Quest will automatically terminate.】

I was speechless at the sight, which was just like a game.

However, my mind was strangely accepting the situation with cold clarity.

Perhaps it was the effect of the unusual situation of being on an uninhabited island.

【Main Quest Activated!】

[Main Quest]

▶ Survival

-Content: You were accidentally shipwrecked on an island. Survive until the end on the island.

-Reward: S-class Skill, 1 Billion, 10,000P

“…..What is this.”

The message that appeared was less surprising than absurd.

Survive until the very end.

What kind of quest description is this vague?

I had no idea how to clear it.

‘Survival itself is a given, so that part doesn’t matter.’

And the reward didn’t make sense either.

They’ll give me 1 billion immediately upon escaping the island?

Are they some kind of insurance company?

‘And even setting aside the Skill and the billion, what on earth are these Points?’

Not only the billion, but an S-class Skill sounds good too.

Does that mean the Points are worth about a billion too?

As if to resolve my doubts, another message popped up.

-Ttirring!

【Seong Jinwoo-nim has acquired an Awakened Skill!】

【Your Awakened Skill is ‘Gacha’!】

【First Survival Bonus! Points for 3 consecutive draws will be provided!】

【You have obtained 300P!】

“Gacha?”

Gacha.

Anyone who’s played games in the 21st century would probably be familiar with it.

Gacha, random boxes, luck-based shitty games.

It goes by many names, but the meaning is clear.

Use currency to obtain items randomly.

‘So these Points are for the Gacha.’

300P for 3 consecutive draws.

Meaning, you can draw once per 100P.

I don’t know if it’s generous or a rip-off since I don’t know what I’ll get, but…

‘Still, it’s a benefit in my current situation.’

This place is an uninhabited island with nothing.

Even a single piece of bread could save my life.

Besides, who knows? Maybe I’ll get a satellite phone.

‘In any case, my life depends on this.’

I immediately went into the Gacha screen.

Surprisingly, there were various types.

[Items, Skills, and even Traits all at once! Normal Gacha] -100P

[First-time Limited 90% Discount! Equipment Gacha] -100P (1-time limit)

[Guaranteed acquisition of essential resources! Resource Gacha] -100P

I never expected them to be this kind, providing a list.

And ‘first-time limited’ or ‘guaranteed’ at that.

Isn’t this generosity rarely seen in the ruthless Korean gaming industry?

I was so moved I almost burst into tears.

【The more you draw, the higher your rank becomes, and new Gachas may appear as your rank increases.】

【Your current rank is ‘Iron’.】

Moreover, it seems like other things unlock when my rank increases from spending more Points.

For now, it’s better to just spam the Gacha without holding back.

‘I happen to have 300P and 3 draws available. It’s best to try them one by one, right?’

They say ‘hodling’ brings victory, but saving now is the perfect time to go bust.

Besides, Gacha is all about luck, so there’s no need to hesitate.

I boldly pressed ‘Resource Gacha’.

A 1L bottle of mineral water popped out right before my eyes with a ‘ppyoong’ sound.

▶Clear Mineral Water (1L)

Rank: F

Description: Clear water contained in a PET bottle. Drinking it only provides refreshment, but to someone in a desert, it might be worth trading for diamonds.

“W-wow!”

My hands trembled with emotion.

Just a bottle of water.

But its value on an uninhabited island is beyond words.

Moreover, the Gacha kindly provided the PET bottle as well.

If I find more water, I can keep storing it here.

To me right now, it’s a treasure beyond compare.

“Kyah~ I feel alive!”

I opened the cap and gulped down the water.

Was it because I was thirsty, or was it truly good water as the description said?

It felt hundreds of times more refreshing than the water I usually drank.

“Alright, let’s keep this momentum!”

As the water entered my body, vitality flowed through me.

Riding the momentum, I pressed ‘Equipment Gacha’.

It was 100 Points with a 90% discount for the first draw.

In other words, it would normally cost 1000P.

Meaning, I could have done the Resource Gacha ten times.

It must be something worth that much.

‘A gun would be best, but a sword or spear wouldn’t be bad on an uninhabited island. Please, nothing like a bow!’

Light flared, and an item dropped into my hand.

▶ The Self-Returning Knife

Rank: C

Description: A failed creation by an artisan who gave up on making a self-fighting sword. The knife recognizes its wielder, allowing it to be thrown or recalled from anywhere. Though a failure, the artisan’s touch is evident, making its sharpness and durability superior to ordinary knives.

Effect: Agility +2

‘Ooh, like Thor’s hammer?’

I tested it by throwing the knife, and it returned to my hand shortly after.

On an uninhabited island, a knife has many uses.

But the fact that it returns on its own even after being thrown…

Depending on the situation, it was even better than a regular sword or bow.

‘This will be quite helpful if I start hunting.’

And this is only C-class.

I wonder what kind of equipment comes out at S-class.

Will I really get mythical weapons?

I’m getting a little curious.

-Ttirring!

【Equipment Gacha Bonus! You can now use ‘Inventory’!】

And on top of that, a bonus was given.

Inventory must be that common game feature, a window for storing items.

Kind of like Doraemon’s fourth-dimensional pocket.

‘I was wondering how I’d store the items from the Gacha. How thoughtful.’

Plus, items put into inventory lose their weight, making movement much easier.

Is there any other item this useful on an uninhabited island?

Satisfied, I placed the water and the knife into my inventory.

“So far, things are looking really good?”

Maybe it’s because it’s the first time, but every item I’ve gotten is satisfactory.

The only thing left is the Normal Gacha.

Honestly, my expectations are highest for this one.

‘After all, it seems like this Gacha doesn’t just give items, but Skills too.’

I was puzzled by the mention of Skills, but seeing the Equipment Gacha confirmed it.

This Gacha incorporates the fantasy elements commonly found in games.

Meaning, depending on the outcome, I might be able to shoot fire from my hands or fly.

‘Of course, things probably won’t be that convenient.’

But isn’t anticipating even the lowest probability the essence of Gacha?

My motto is: ‘I’m different!’ That’s the basic spirit of Gacha!

Swallowing nervously, I pressed the final Gacha.

-Ddan ddan dda ra ddan~!

Unlike before, cheerful music played as a rainbow-colored light burst forth.

It was the kind of animation you only see in games when you get an SSR or a 5-star item!

Just that alone gave me the intuition that this was a jackpot.

‘Wh-what did I get? A Skill? Magic? Or maybe a ship?’

I cheered inwardly, watching the flashy animation.

As the light faded, the prize revealed its identity.

▶ Hilde Elizabeth Gardner

Rank: S

Description: A silver-haired woman exuding a mystical aura. Possessing both grace and common sense, she will devote herself to you, her Master.

【Hilde Elizabeth Gardner’s status window has been unlocked!】

【You can now check her status!】

“……Huh?”

A beautiful silver-haired beauty suddenly appeared out of thin air, giving a gentle smile.

“Please take good care of me, Master.”

The S-class prize I’d pulled from the final Gacha.

It wasn’t a mythical weapon or legendary magic, but a beautiful woman.

And not just any beautiful woman, but one worthy of the prefix ‘super’.