Ch 2: Tough Choice

Alright, now that I've spent an hour cursing my luck and questioning every decision that brought me here, let's pick up where we left off.

The [Dull Life] ability.

At first glance, it seemed simple: watch 10 ads, skip 10 years of my life. Easy, right? But as with everything in life, there's a catch. And by "catch," I mean the Gacha Rules—which, by the way, I totally read carefully. (Okay, I skimmed. Fine, I glanced. Who has the patience for that?)

Here's the dilemma:

1. Continue life as a baby, grinding my way through childhood, all while collecting items for the next 10 years.

2. Use [Dull Life] to skip 10 years, but—and this is a big BUT—I only get 10 spins total instead of the 3 spins per month I'd normally receive over that decade.

Let me break it down for you. If I choose option 1, I'll get…uh, hold on, let me math this. So, 3 spins per month, times 12 months in a year, times 10 years…

...Yeah, my baby brain hurts. Let's just say it's a lot more than 10 spins.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Arthur, isn't it better to be patient and reap the rewards later?"

And to that, I say: Hell no.

Look, I'm not patient. I'm impatient. And frankly, the thought of spending the next 10 years getting my butt wiped by strangers is more than enough motivation to go with option 2. Dignity > Spins. So, decision made. Let's do this.

Step 1: Watch ads.

The first ad starts playing in front of me.

Ad 1: "Play *** Chest and get 400 cases instantly!"

"Yeah, no thanks," I mutter, rolling my imaginary eyes.

Ad 2: "Oh no, I'm stuck! Help me solve this puzzle!"

"No, YOU help yourself!"

Ad 3: Another hyper-clickbait mobile game.

...By the time I'm on the seventh ad, I'm ready to tear my (imaginary) hair out.

"Who designs these ads? Sadists?!"

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, I finish the tenth ad.

"Ads complete. Dull Life is ready to use."

"Great. Let's get this over with," I groan.

Step 2: Use [Dull Life].

I mentally activate the ability.

[Life skipping initiated.]

For a moment, nothing happens. Then, like a movie montage, my life begins to fast-forward:

I learn to walk and talk like a normal baby.

My first words, basic sentences, and an overwhelming need to scream "WHY" every time I hear baby talk.

Soon, I'm reading and writing, advancing from kindergarten-level basics to elementary school, middle school, and beyond.

But here's where things get…weird.

As my mind matures, I notice something odd about my surroundings. This isn't your standard childhood upbringing. There are no loving parents, no playgrounds, no cookies and milk. Instead, I'm surrounded by white walls, stern-faced instructors, and an eerie, sterile silence.

I'm in the White Room.

And it's not just any White Room—it's the White Room. The infamous experimental facility from Classroom of the Elite, where children are trained to become intellectual and physical prodigies, stripped of emotions and individuality.

Yeah, no pressure, right?

[System Message]:

"The host's environment is harsh. To ensure survival and development, 5 spins have been automatically consumed."

...Wait, what?

I take a deep breath. Inhale. Exhale.

Then it hits me.

"WHAT THE—!"

My mind spirals. FIVE SPINS. The system used FIVE of my precious spins. Without asking! That leaves me with only FIVE spins left.

This has to be a joke. A cruel, cosmic joke.

"System! Explain yourself!" I demand.

No response. Typical.

I force myself to calm down, taking deep breaths. I mean, I can't do anything about it now, can I? Might as well focus on what I've gained from these skipped years.

By the time I'm 9, I've already surpassed my instructors in almost every subject. Advanced mathematics, literature, sciences, and more languages than I can count—I've mastered them all.

Physically, I'm no slouch either. From hand-to-hand combat to armed tactics, I've been trained in it all. It's not just knowledge—I've been molded into a near-perfect human being.

But here's the kicker:

By age 11, only two of us remain from our batch—the so-called 4th Demonic Generation.

Me. And Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

Yeah, that guy. The prodigy who outsmart anyone and everyone in the series. No big deal, right?

---

As I turn 11, the [Dull Life] ability completes its cycle. A bright light flashes, pulling me out of the time skip.

"Aaaah! My eyes!" I shout, shielding them instinctively. "At least warn me next time!"

A few moments later, I blink, adjusting to my surroundings. The familiar sterile white walls come into focus.

"So, I'm still in the White Room," I mutter, sighing. "Guess skipping life doesn't mean skipping the nightmare entirely."

A notification pops up in my mind:

[System Notification]: "Congratulations! Dull Life complete. Remaining spins: 5."

And just like that, my anger flares up again.

"FIVE?!" I shout.

Another notification appears:

[For the host to survive under the harsh circumstances of the White Room, 5 spins were consumed to prevent damage to the host.]

"...Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale."

But no amount of breathing exercises can calm me this time.

"FUCK!!!"

I unleash a string of curses, each one more creative than the last.

"What is wrong with this system? Are you here to help me or SCAM me?"

No response. Again.

---

Once the rage subsides, I flop onto the cold, hard floor. "Alright, Arthur. Focus. What's done is done. You've survived the White Room, gained insane knowledge and skills, and you've got five spins left. Make them count."

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Now, let's figure out how to get out of this place."

To be continued.

---Note

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