Reality Gacha System (1)

"Whether it's the gacha banner or the reality gacha,

it doesn't matter to the big whale."

- ShanTheWhale -

 "Welcome, Mr. Shan, to the Azlia world."

 Shan couldn't remember when he passed out. He woke up because of that voice; it sounded like a male version of Siri, appearing to be an artificial voice synthesized by a computer.

 Shan held his head and stood up. He found himself in a white square room. There was nothing around him except whiteness.

 "Greetings, Mr. Shan. This is the voice of the Miracle Azlia game system. Welcome to the beta testing system."

 This voice made Shan realize that he had agreed to join the beta test of Miracle Azlia. But what was that? The way to enter the game seemed so weird. Shan couldn't even remember when he logged in to the game, as he felt like he had just fallen asleep for a moment and then woken up here.

 Also, there is no computer or gaming equipment in here.

 "The new beta-test system does not require any special equipment."

 It spoke as if it knew what he was thinking.

 "We brought you across the world and into our system. You can join our beta test by simply living in this world normally. Everything in Azlia is designed to be very realistic."

 "Wait," Shan said, looking around in confusion. "What is this place?"

 "This is a simulation room to prepare you before entering the actual game world. Take some time to get ready."

 "In the world of Miracle Azlia, Azlish is the standard language for communication. The game system has already installed a translator program for you, Mr. Shan. Therefore, you can understand and communicate naturally in this world, without any prior practice required."

 The game system told him.

"If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Once you enter the Azlia world, you won't be able to contact our system again until your mission is accomplished."

 "Huh?" Shan was confused, having received too much information at once. He tried to grasp the main point.

 Since he had already agreed to join the beta test, he found himself here. And this beta test wasn't played on a computer; it involved playing for real, like living in the game world. Even then, it still seemed unbelievable.

 "Wait, is it possible? How can you do this? A system that allows players to actually get into the game?"

 "This is our trade secret, cannot be disclosed."

 Shan raised his eyebrow, even a VIP customer like him, they still didn't tell.

 "Oh, you know I've got so much money. How much do you want?" Shan attempted to negotiate.

 "This trade secret cannot be sold. It's only for players' happiness. Once you complete the mission, you'll understand it yourself."

 The system kind of left him on a cliffhanger. But since he was the one who agreed to the beta test, the most pressing issue was how to play this game.

 "So, what is my mission?" Shan asked directly.

 "Your mission is divided into two parts: main mission and special mission."

 "Your main mission is to play a brand-new gacha game in the Azlia world. Compared to the previous version of our gacha game, each player takes on the role of a god who doesn't exist but can control the Wisher characters. The method to obtain Wishers is to collect gacha tickets or top up money into the game."

 "This new beta test is somewhat similar, but you cannot obtain Wishers through gacha. The new system is called 'sponsorship.' A sponsor can be anyone: a normal person, a Wisher, a group of people, or even a company. Most importantly, sponsors must have money, as they need to support Wishers by investing in training and providing necessary equipment and facilities. In this Azlia world, sponsorship is the key to success for all Wishers."

 "Hmm…" Shan pondered the new system, finding it quite interesting.

 "In short, the Wishers in this beta test are like idols, artists, or athletes who rely on sponsors for support. And I'm the investor, right?"

 "Precisely."

 Shan, himself an investor, realized the sponsors in this beta test weren't much different from players who spent money on gacha games.

 "What about my money, though? I didn't bring anything with me."

 Shan arrived in Azlia with only the clothes on his back: a T-shirt, sweatpants, and indoor slippers.

 "In the Azlia world, we use a digital currency. We'll provide you with Azlia currency equivalent to the amount you spent on Miracle Azlia."

 Shan whistled, a note of pride in his voice. "So, I'm a whale in this world too, huh?"

"Based on your asset value here, you are considered the second wealthiest person in Azlia."

 "Wait, who's the first?" Shan questioned.

 "The God of Death, DeathSoul."

 "…" Shan was speechless.

 In his opinion, DeathSoul was a ridiculous character. His skills were already overpowered, and now his wealth in the game was overpowered as well. Shan couldn't help but wonder who designed the game's balance. It was as if the game company was afraid DeathSoul would lose his title as the national husbando, so they turned him into a power creep.

 "You'll enter the Azlia world with a new profile, allowing you to live normally among the Azlian people. They're all characters, or NPCs, in this world, and they won't know you're from another world."

 Shan pondered the information.

 "Well, am I the only beta tester here?"

 "That's correct."

 "Oh, so I can just chill and take it easy, no competition anyway."

 Shan felt a flicker of disappointment. He loved collecting characters, and the challenge of the game was a big part of the fun for him. Playing a gacha game without anyone else to compete with wouldn't be exciting at all.

 "There are many other sponsors in the Azlia world, but they are characters within the game itself."

 "I see, so they're AI characters." Shan realized he would be competing against AI.

 "You'll use a new identity in the Azlia world with the same name you registered: Shan Chonthara. You're a young millionaire from a rural area far from the capital. You're an ordinary person, not a Wisher, with no superpowers. But you are wealthy, so you travel to Dayland's capital, aiming to become the most successful sponsor."

 Shan listened to the system introduce his new profile. It made him feel like he actually was a character in the game, not just playing as an impersonal player. This seemed to be more interesting.

 "This sponsorship system allows you to recruit Wishers from other agencies or independent Wishers to your team. Your duty as a sponsor is to make them powerful and help them shine."

 Shan chuckled. "That's what I already do, isn't it?"

 In traditional gacha games, players collect characters, weapons, and items to empower their waifus and husbandos, and then show off to others. This beta test employs a similar concept but with a different style of play.

 "However, Wishers and sponsors are bound by the laws and morals of the game world. You can learn more about these through gameplay."

 "Wait," Shan's expression shifted slightly. "Since you've emphasized the game's realism, can I flirt with Wishers too?"

 "This issue is quite complicated. According to the rules, a sponsor cannot force Wishers to have a relationship unless they consent. However, these actions must be considered for appropriateness. As a sponsor, you should treat your Wishers with fairness and respect their privacy. You can learn from real experience."

 "Ugh…" Shan fumbled for words. This was indeed complicated.

 "So, I might encounter Vinzent too?" Shan was finally piecing together the whole picture of the beta test. He couldn't contain his excitement at the prospect of meeting his Waifu.

 "Vinzent LeFolyn is a Wisher you can potentially recruit, but it depends on your reputation and skills. It's all up to you to convince him to join your team."

 "Money or luck alone won't guarantee success in this new gacha system. Sponsors need to prove themselves to the Wishers, gain their trust, and convince them to join and stay on your team."

 "Each Wisher has a unique personality and desires. Some might prioritize wealthy sponsors, while others value guidance and leadership. There might even be Wishers who simply choose based on personal preference. This will definitely be more challenging, but we hope you'll enjoy the beta test!"

 "This feels incredibly realistic and exciting," Shan mused.

 Shan had been a gacha game veteran for years, and the thrill of pulling from gacha banners had long faded. As a whale with bottomless pockets, he could simply buy everything the game offered. Consequently, Shan found more satisfaction in building his characters than gambling on gacha pulls.

 When Miracle Azlia unveiled this new gacha system, Shan was very impressed by how the beta test transformed the typical, monotonous gacha experience into something fresh and realistic.

 For free-to-play players, proving their skills to Wishers becomes paramount. Whales, on the other hand, can't simply rely on their wallets to win over these characters. This innovative gameplay fosters fierce competition for obtaining Wishers, but the rewards are truly worth it. After all, you'll be acquiring realistic characters, not just pixelated graphics on a screen.

 "How long do I have to spend in this game? When can I log out of this beta test?"

 This was what Shan was most curious about.

 "That entirely depends on you. Once you complete the 'special mission,' you'll be free to log out."

 "What exactly is this special mission?"

 Shan, already aware of his sponsor role, but there was still a special mission that he needed to complete.

 "Your special mission is to fulfill Vinzent LeFoyln's wish," the system explained.

 "Vinz's wish, huh?" Shan furrowed his brow. "What is it exactly?"

 "That's for you to discover," the system replied.

 "Oh well," Shan chuckled, "I guess I can always ask him directly, right?"

 "Hopefully, he will tell you," The system responded.

 "Are you saying he might not tell me? Why wouldn't he? I'm the whale who spends a fortune on Vinz Waifu! He must love me in return." Shan bragged.

 "It's important to understand," the system interjected, "that the people in this world don't have any prior knowledge of you. They're unaware of being game characters, and they don't exist based on your in-game ID. They're independent beings within the beta test."

 "I see." Shan understood. Vinzent in this world was different from Vinzent in his ID.

 "If you don't have further questions, we'll be sending you to Dayland's capital shortly. A representative from the Wisher Association will be there to greet you and provide more details about Wisher sponsorship. However, there are two crucial things to remember. First, you can be injured or even killed in this world, so exercise caution. Recruiting a strong Wisher for protection would be wise."

 "Wait." Shan was stunned. "If I die in this beta test, will I be dead?"

 "Absolutely," the system replied.

 Shan bristled. "Hold on a minute! I object!"

 "This is a world teeming with monsters," he argued. "How can it possibly be safe for players?"

 "That's precisely why we recommend you become a sponsor and recruit powerful Wishers for your protection," the system explained.

 "What the…"

 Shan realized the game was far trickier than he thought. It wasn't just a fun gacha game with sponsors; it was a full-fledged survival game. Being a sponsor seemed like a way to secure a Wisher as a bodyguard for survival.

 "Damn it! F***ing beta test," Shan grumbled. But the thought of meeting his beloved Vinz Waifu – well, that could make him forgive the game... for now.

 After all, he is Shan, a whale with endless resources. There was nothing to fear.

 "Second, your gender in this world is M-."

 "Huh?" Shan's confusion quickly turned to laughter. "You're saying my gender is M+? No surprises there, haha!"

 "Your gender is M-."

 The system voice kind of got on Shan's nerves.

 "I don't allow it! Why am I M-? A handsome and rich whale like me must be M+! Tell me, how much to change my gender?"

 Shan was frantic. He had just forgiven the game, but this matter was absolutely unforgivable.