Chapter 1: 1. Expelled because of a worthless skill
AT JUNE 22ND INSIDE THE ACADEMY
ALEXANDER
I am Alexander Blackwood, currently inside the Royal Adventurer Academy. At eighteen, everyone awakens a skill that decides their entire life. Heroes become fighters. Adventurers become hunters. The weak disappear into normal life. I stood on the awakening platform at graduation, hand on the crystal.
It lit up instantly.
"Good resonance. This could be a combat cla-"The examiner nodded.
Then it flickered, and the system window appeared.
"Skill awakened: Gacha card summoner."A voice said.
The hall went silent. Then laughter exploded.
"Gacha?! That’s not even a real skill!"A woman laughed.
"Bro got RNG as a profession."Another one said.
"Card summoning...?"I frowned.
The examiner scanned it, randomized summons, no fixed output. No guaranteed combat control. He closed the panel.
"This is non-combat."A dean said.
"Support class?"I blinked.
"No."He said.
"No?"I asked.
"You are being expelled from the academy track."The dean said.
The hall erupted.
"WAIT EXPELLED?!"A student screamed.
"At awakening?! That’s insane!"Another one did the same.
"I didn’t even use it yet."I looked down.
"That is exactly the problem."The examiner didn’t look at me.
"Leave the platform."A guard stepped forward.
So I did, no applause, no future. Just footsteps echoing behind me. Outside the academy gates, I stood alone.
"So that’s it."I sighed.
Then my vision flickered. A translucent system screen appeared.
"System online."The system said.
"Oh."I said.
"So you’re the user." The system said. "Gacha Card Summoner. Out of all possible combat skills..."The system said. "You got gambling. That’s honestly impressive in the worst way possible. You have been assigned: ’good luck surviving this life’ mode. Try not to die immediately."
"This system is mocking me."I stared at it.
"Correct."The system said.
"Yeah. This is going to be a problem."I exhaled.
Hour later, I still stood in the forest outside the academy gates, still staring at the system screen floating in front of me. No future path, no guild, just this absurd skill they kicked me out for.
"Gacha card summoner." I muttered.
"System online. User recognized. Initiating first summon sequence."The system responded immediately.
A card materialized in front of me. It hovered in the air, glowing faintly.
"This better not be a joke."I hesitated.
"Everything is a joke. Proceed."The system replied instantly.
The card cracked open, and light burst out violently. I covered my eyes. When I lowered my hand, someone was standing in front of me, a girl. White hair, soft expression. calm, almost holy aura around her. She looked like she belonged in a temple, not a forest.
"So you’re my master."She blinked at me.
"Yeah. I guess I am."I exhaled slightly.
"Then I will serve you faithfully."She smiled gently.
"System notice. First summon successful. Analyzing unit."The system immediately reacted.
A status window appeared next to her. "SAINTESS UNIT DETECTED: Name: unknown. Class: Saintess (divine category). Strength: F. Agility: S. Intelligence: S. Luck: ???. Holy power: SSS. Mental stability: Low. Affinity type: Unknown (Error Present).
I stared at the last line.
"Low mental stability?"I asked.
"Yes."The system responded.
I looked at her.
"Is something wrong, Master?"She tilted her head.
"Not yet." I muttered.
"Additional trait detected. Behavioral pattern: attachment instability. Classification update: Saintess (possessive variant)."The system continued.
"Possessive what?"I blinked.
"I will protect you."She stepped slightly closer.
Then she glanced at the trees behind me. One of them vanished instantly.
"Did you just erase a tree?"I froze.
"It looked like it was going to fall on you in the future."I said.
"Threat level increased."The system immediately added.
"Why does she feel more dangerous than the monsters I was supposed to fight?"I took a slow step back.
"Because I care."She smiled softly again.
"First summon completed. Rarity: extremely rare. Outcome: problem unit acquired."The system flashed one last line.
"I think I understand why I got expelled now."I stared at her, then at the empty forest space.
I stared at her, then at the empty forest space where a tree used to be. The saintess tilted her head slightly, still smiling softly.
"Master." she said. "I don’t have a name yet."
"Right... you just got summoned. That makes sense."I blinked.
"I would like one." She looked down for a moment, then back up at me.
"Name registration required for unit stability."The system immediately reacted.
"You can name her?"I frowned.
"User input recommended."The system said.
"A name would be nice. Something you choose."The saintess stepped closer.
I hesitated. I wasn’t prepared for this.
"Scarlet." I said finally. "That fits you."
"Scarlet..."She repeated it slowly.
"I like it."Then she smiled.
SYSTEM NOTICE: Name registered. Unit identity stabilized. Emotional affinity increased. Name compatibility: EXTREME."The system instantly updated.
"Why is it reacting like that?"I stared.
"She likes it." the system replied.
Scarlet clasped her hands together.
"Master gave me a name." She said softly. "That means I belong to you properly now."
"That is not how naming works."I took a step back.
"Isn’t it?" She asked.
"Attachment level increasing." The system added another line.
"I feel like this got worse."I exhaled.
"I will make sure you never regret it."Scarlet smiled gently.
Behind her, another tree vanished without sound.
"I am not surviving this normally."I looked at the system screen.
It seems that I can do something or I am not going to survive it.
