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Chapter - 1
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I woke up in my room with a strange pressure in my chest one of those lingering feelings that clings to your skin, like the dream hadn't fully faded yet.
Something felt off, like a detail was missing, something just slightly… wrong. But honestly, I couldn't figure out what. So I did the only thing that made sense in that moment: I tried to ignore it.
Or at least, I tried—for a few seconds.
But that discomfort didn't leave me. My thoughts kept circling back to it. This was my room, I was sure of it. I recognized nearly everything: the window letting in the same warm morning light, the furniture seemingly untouched.
Yet I didn't feel at home.
Not really.
It was like someone had tried to recreate my room from memory, but got a few details wrong. Small changes, barely noticeable—but I caught them instantly. I knew this space by heart. And I had no problem admitting it was probably because of my OCD.
I got up slowly from the bed. The blanket was the same color I'd chosen the night before. The mattress sagged slightly in the exact spots I remembered—probably from when I ruined it after jumping around in pure excitement from beating that one boss in Elden Ring.
Everything seemed in place.
The walls? Same gray-blue shade I picked months ago.
The bookshelf? No—something was off. My favorite comics were gone. Replaced by manga I'd never read, and honestly, they looked way too cheerful for my taste.
Some titles were completely unfamiliar.
And others... I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. Honestly, I'd rather toss them straight into the trash.
Something was definitely wrong. And the more I looked around, the more panic crept in. "Calm down. Breathe. Think." I ran a hand over my face. I needed to stay sharp. I had to piece this together.
First things first: my name is Luther Strode.
And the moment I said that really said it everything shifted. My breath caught in my throat. It was like reality bent around the weight of that name. Old memories began to blur with new ones. Lives, stories, images overlapping like threads tangled too tight.
Then came the pain—sharp, burning, slicing through my skull like a blade. I dropped to my knees as flashes of something someone else's life ripped through my mind.
Were these my memories? ...Or someone else's? No. My life was different. I'm supposed to be in Rio, not in America.
And definitely not in Chicago.
None of this feels random. I can feel it in every fiber of my being, especially after watching all those harem isekai anime throughout my life.
I put on my glasses for my myopia and look at the date on the clock: it's February 2021, one of those many weekends without school, so I'm resting while reading some comics.
The day is the same, the month is the same. Strange is the year: it should be 2025, but it's 2021 instead...
Why am I here? A sharp pain runs through my head, and suddenly everything starts to make sense. As if my head wasn't already about to explode before, at least now I can understand something, and the pieces of this chaos in my mind are finally beginning to fit together:
The room, so similar yet different, the strange climate, things seeming older.
I was a high school student, at Reginald Vel Johnson High School. A name that seemed straight out of a '90s sitcom, but in this world it was all too real.
I was basically thrown into a character in this world, with a background similar to mine: I was the protagonist of a series of comics by Tradd Moore that I loved rereading, especially for the fights.
Yeah, it was largely because I'm a fan of Baki.
But the real question—the one I'm not ready to face yet…
Who the hell brought me here? And more importantly, why?
And as if that wasn't enough, from my memories he appears…
A DAMN OMNI-Man is here, in this world.
Just thinking about it tightens my throat. The air feels heavier. And that's not all: I also know a certain Marie Grayson. God, I don't even want to open that Pandora's box.
Not now, or I'm sure I'd have some kind of nervous aneurysm.
I'm in the damn Image Comics universe.
A world of super geniuses, gods disguised as heroes, and technological advances worthy of the most extreme science fiction. A world that seems ready to explode every single second, where every city hides secrets and scientific hybrids ready to destroy humanity.
Here, at the beating heart of the main plot, are the brightest minds, the most advanced industries, and the deadliest plots; a damn empire that could conquer the planet I'm on right now.
I have to stay calm. Thinking about all this, I turn my gaze to the most important thing in the room, or rather, my "cheat"… A strange comic book lying in the corner of my vision
I had read the entire comic series, so I knew exactly what that power could do to someone with enough talent and motivation. That was exactly the aspect I found most interesting: it offered variety, didn't place the protagonist on an untouchable pedestal, and left room for growth, risk, and unpredictability.
The Hercules Method, in short, allowed those who mastered it to enhance and control their physical abilities by unifying mind, body, and spirit into a single point.
Only a few people with natural talent could use it successfully, even though, in theory, anyone had the potential.
It was almost comical to think that an object like that, left on my desk—something anyone would have ignored at first glance—could grant such an absurd power.
Of course, it wasn't all sunshine and roses: there were also drawbacks. From simple moral repercussions to those that ran deeper and were heavier, like psychological ones, since the Method, in fact, constantly increased the desire to kill.
I sighed and got up from the chair. I picked up the comic book, examining it carefully. I was honestly curious to understand whether it had something special or not.
The first thing I noticed was that there was nothing written on it. No hidden message, no note from some otherworldly entity. Just the comic. But as soon as I touched it… I realized. It was all real. It was really happening.
It wasn't a joke.
I was in the Invincible universe. And I had the power of a comic capable of bringing me to the absolute peak a human being could ever reach.
But, to be honest, that wasn't enough. Not in this world. A world where aliens existed who could destroy entire civilizations in minutes. A world where my physical strength, no matter how far pushed, would never be enough.
I could become the strongest among humans, but it wouldn't be enough. My luck had never been the best… Or at least, that's what I thought. Until a strange floating screen appeared right in front of my eyes.
[Welcome, user!]
[You've been selected to receive the powers of the Chaos Gacha!]
…What?
[Confused? That's normal. The Chaos Gacha is an innate ability granted to a very lucky few across the multiverse. It allows you to gain practically anything: traits, powers, abilities, magical items, familiars, anything, as long as you're lucky enough!]
[Do you accept the Chaos Gacha? If yes, simply think "Yes!". Otherwise, think "No!".]
"Yes!" I thought, as a smile spread across my face and the screen reappeared in front of me.
[Congratulations! You have accepted the Chaos Gacha!]
So I went there, not caring in the slightest that I was only wearing a pair of shorts and nothing else. I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection.
I looked like an average young guy - your typical nerd. Skinny, awkward, with blond hair and gray eyes that were barely visible behind the glasses I wore. I was, without a doubt, the perfect target for bullies in any American high school.
Not that my situation had ever been that bad, from what I remembered, but there was always some idiot trying to act tough to impress whatever girl happened to be nearby.
I turned on the faucet and splashed some cold water on my face, trying to refocus. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something flashing. When I finally looked at it directly, it expanded until it became a floating screen.
[Congratulations on awakening your Chaos Gacha!]
[You have three free gold tickets to roll!]
[Would you like to roll?]
[Y/N]
Without a moment's hesitation, I immediately thought: "Yes!" Honestly, I just wanted to get something anything that would protect me from whatever this world decided to throw at me.
After all, I was in a comic book universe. A world full of danger and ridiculously high power levels. I should be getting something good, right? Plus, any powers or items from here would be easier to explain.
I couldn't exactly go around using stuff people might recognize...
But those were thoughts for later.
Now it was roll time.
[Name: Blue Tear]
[Rare Trait]
Whenever you are near death, your energy output, defense, and resistance increase considerably. This effect fades once you are no longer in danger or have been healed.
[Cavern Elemental]
[Rare Familiar]
Calamity Mod — An elemental born in the harsh and desolate caverns. Physically powerful, he can control earth and stone. With his axe, he can split the ground in two. Excellent for defense.
[Trance]
[Rare Ability]
Allows you to snap your fingers to put anyone paying attention to you into a trance. While they're entranced, you can subtly influence them or take advantage in other ways. Taking damage breaks the trance. Doesn't work on especially strong-willed or stronger opponents.
I looked at the three screens, quickly reading through each one.
I had to admit — I expected way worse, especially considering how random the tickets were.
The first was a useful defensive multiplier. It would definitely help me, both before and after mastering the Hercules Method, during especially tough fights. So I gladly accepted it.
The second was a strong familiar. Honestly, I liked it the most having something that could protect me right from the start felt like a true blessing.
As for the mental domination one… it reminded me a bit too much of corruption powers from hentai games, which I really didn't want to use. But it still seemed incredibly useful in the right situations.
Now, the only question was...
What did I want to do next?
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