The Gacha's Grasp
Host: Qi Yan
Age: 18 years old
Race: Human
Magic Power: ★ (Trainee)
Magic: Take Over Magic - Anime Soul
Character Card: Ulquiorra Cifer...
Qi Yan's heart still thumped a frantic rhythm. He stole glances at the translucent System Panel floating only in his vision, where the card of Ulquiorra Cifer waited silently. It was a golden ticket, a future power that was almost impossible to comprehend.
He, Qi Yan, a poor high school graduate from Blue Star, had been flung into the world of Fairy Tail a mere two weeks ago, awakening this 'Anime Soul' gacha system. The rules were simple, yet brutal: the system drew powers from deceased anime characters, which he could then utilize through his Take Over Magic.
To get more of these precious draws—and to eventually hit the 100-pull guaranteed Gold Pity—he needed to bind to a Guild. Fairy Tail, with its familiar faces, incredible atmosphere, and status as the strongest guild in the Fiore Kingdom, was the only choice.
One free draw a month is nothing, he thought, striding towards the chaotic request board. If I want to be strong, I have to be the most active mage in this guild.
The Cost of Power
The system neatly categorized the scrolls plastered on the board, saving him the effort of squinting at tiny script.
RankReward RangeDraw OpportunitiesRequirements
A-Rank1,000,000 J or more1 Draw1 A-Rank Quest
B-Rank500,000 J to 1,000,000 J1 Draw2 B-Rank Quests
C-Rank100,000 J to 500,000 J1 Draw10 C-Rank Quests
Quests below 100,000 J were not even marked by the system—they were a waste of time.
Qi Yan skimmed the C-Rank section: Eliminate the snow mountain beast Vulcan, wipe out bandits, kill forest monsters...
He did a quick mental calculation. One C-Rank job might net him 100,000 J, roughly 5,000 RMB in his old currency. Good money for a single task, but the effort was proportional to the reward. Fighting a beast like Vulcan wasn't a walk in the park.
Ten quests for one pull, he mused darkly. A round trip takes three days. That's a minimum of a month for a single draw. Combined with the system's monthly gift, I'd only get twenty-four pulls a year.
It would take over four years to hit a guaranteed gold! That was an eternity in a world facing threats like Zeref and Acnologia.
No. I don't just need power; I need it fast. And I need money.
His desire for riches had reached a fever pitch. Half a month in this world had been a desperate struggle. Sleeping in the wilderness, scrounging for food, and only surviving a run-in with bandits because his free initial draw had given him the power of a nameless Blue-Tier Chunin—just enough power to escape with a few meager coins.
He needed to risk more. He had to hunt for A and B-Ranks.
In a few quick strides, Qi Yan was back at the counter, a scroll clutched in his hand.
"Mira, I want to take this job."
Mira looked up, surprised. "So fast? You should familiarize yourself with the guild first."
Qi Yan gave a bitter, genuine smile. "I can't afford to. I'm already so poor I can't even buy a decent meal. If I don't work, I'll be sleeping under a bridge again."
Mira giggled, a warm, melodic sound. The poor, ambitious newcomer was a familiar sight in Fairy Tail. "Let me see... Hmm?!"
Her smile vanished as she read the request. "Wait, I can't approve this. I need to consult the Master. Please wait a moment, he should be back soon."
The Council's Fury
Just then, the front doors swung open and a figure less than a meter tall, clad in a ridiculous yellow trench coat and a jester's hat, stomped inside, holding a scroll of parchment that seemed half his size.
"Master, you're back!" Mira rushed to meet him.
The tiny figure, Makarov, looked at the unfamiliar face beside Mira. "Hmm? A newcomer?"
"Yes, my name is Qi Yan. Please take care of me," Qi Yan said, giving a respectful bow.
Despite the Master's comical size, Qi Yan felt the immense, terrifying power radiating from the old man. This was the man who could wipe out a nation with a single shout.
Makarov simply raised a hand in greeting. "Oh! Please take care of me too!"
Then, Hmph! The jovial mood evaporated. Makarov pushed off with his short legs and leaped onto the second-floor railing with the speed of a projectile.
The entire guild fell silent.
Makarov held up the thick stack of documents—the infamous Magic Council complaints—his face a mask of weary fury.
"You're all causing me trouble again, aren't you?! Look at how many documents the Magic Council has sent this time!"
The Master began his litany of chaos, pointing out the culprits one by one:
"First, Gray!"
A shirtless boy looked utterly disdainful, only for Mira to gently remind him, "Gray, your clothes."
"Ah~!! I forgot again!" Gray fumbled for his missing shirt.
"You stole underwear off a balcony after chasing bandits!?" Makarov roared.
"Elfman! You used violence against your client!"
"He said I wasn't a man!" Elfman retorted defensively.
"Cana! You drank a client's entire wine cellar dry and filled the barrels with water to hide it!"
"...Was I discovered?..." Cana mumbled, clutching her barrel.
"Loki! You provoked Councilman Mikerro's granddaughter!"
"And next, Natsu!" Makarov's voice hit a new crescendo. "Eliminating monsters, destroying roads, pursuing fugitives, destroying six civilian houses, guarding a merchant caravan but burning their goods, eliminating bandits and also burning the victims' belongings!"
Qi Yan was genuinely slack-jawed. I knew Natsu was trouble, but that's not a mage, that's a natural disaster!
Makarov's voice softened, filled with suppressed rage. "You lot! You always make me get scolded by those old fools..."
Then, his face broke into a fierce, iconic grin.
"However..." Makarov yelled, raising a fist, "Those Councilmen can go eat dirt!"
He ignited the massive stack of documents with a burst of magic, sending them up in a defiant cloud of ash.
"Listen well!" he bellowed, his tiny form seeming to swell with world-shaking power. "Magic is the result of pouring in one's entire soul! If you care about what the higher-ups think, then magic will never progress! Don't be afraid of those fools on the Council! Forge ahead on the path you believe in!"
"This is what a Fairy Tail Mage is!!!"
A roar of "OH OH OH!!!" erupted from the guild floor. Qi Yan, caught in the contagious wave of anarchy and camaraderie, felt his own spirit soar. I'm truly here. I'm a part of this.
The First Contract
As the guild returned to its usual raucous drinking and fighting, Mira approached the Master, holding Qi Yan's request scroll.
"Master, Qi Yan wants to take this job. I couldn't decide on its severity, please take a look."
"Oh? What has the boy picked?" Makarov took the paper.
He read the bolded title: Eliminate the Phantom Bandit Gang.
Then, he read the reward: Task Reward: 700,000 J.
Makarov looked up sharply at Qi Yan. This was a B-Rank task, demanding skill and significant combat power.
"700,000 J, eh?" Makarov smiled, a hint of steel beneath the warmth. "You aim high, newcomer. Tell me, do you have the power to back up that ambition?"
The choice is simple: approval, or dismissal.
Will Qi Yan's first official job be approved, and what aspect of Ulquiorra's power will he use to take down the Phantom Bandit Gang?