Chapter 1: The Unlucky Beginning
"Be careful, all of you! Don't let that guy escape!"
"Yes, boss!"
Following the leader's command, dozens of men scattered through the abandoned factory, their footsteps echoing against the rusted walls as they searched for their prey.
Meanwhile, in a dark corner, a shadow crouched low, trying to remain unseen.
It was late at night, and the light drizzle outside only added to the chill creeping into the man's body. But the coldness he felt didn't just come from the damp air—it came from deep inside his heart.
"Who are these people? And… why am I even here?"
Rishi, an ordinary office worker from Bangalore, India, could barely comprehend what was happening before his eyes. Just moments ago, he had been sitting in his small rented flat, playing a video game after a long day at the office. The hum of his ceiling fan, the smell of cheap instant noodles—everything had been so normal.
And now, in the blink of an eye, he was in this strange place.
The grimy factory, the armed men, and most terrifying of all—the heavy revolver gripped tightly in his trembling hand.
These undeniable facts pointed to only one conclusion.
"I… I've transmigrated?!"
Rishi's eyes widened in disbelief, his breath catching in his throat.
He had read countless web novels about transmigration during his late-night commutes and often fantasized about such a miracle. But now that it had actually happened, fear crushed his excitement.
Worse yet, his timing couldn't have been more unlucky. He hadn't arrived in some peaceful village or the safe streets of Bangalore—he had dropped right into a deadly encirclement.
From the murderous glint in the pursuers' eyes, Rishi understood one thing very clearly: this wasn't some harmless prank or misunderstanding. If he made even the slightest mistake, he'd end up with a bullet through his skull.
He swallowed hard, trying to calm himself. "If I die here… would I transmigrate again? Or would it all just end?"
Forcing a bitter smile, he tried to steady his nerves. Panic was useless now. If he wanted to survive, he needed to think—fast.
He gripped the revolver tighter but didn't fire. He knew himself well—he had never even touched a real gun before, much less fired one. At best, he had seen them in movies or clicked away at pixelated shooters on his laptop. Aiming at a living target? Impossible.
"Am I… really just going to die here?"
The thought of his body riddled with bullets, lifeless in a pool of blood, made his hands shake violently.
No. He couldn't just give up.
He had been given this bizarre second chance—no matter what, he would not simply accept death. Even if his fate was sealed, he would fight, drag one of his enemies down with him, and meet death on his own terms.
As he resolved himself, a sharp pain struck his head. Memories—foreign yet familiar—poured into his mind.
Names, faces, and places merged with his consciousness until his very identity shifted.
Tommy Vercetti.
An Italian by descent. Son of a struggling printer. A boy separated from his mother early in life. A man who should have inherited a small family business… but whose fate twisted at a high school dance.
A fateful romance with the wrong girl—a girl tied to the powerful Camorra crime family—dragged him into the shadows of the underworld.
And in that darkness, Tommy thrived. Ruthless ambition and sharp instincts pushed him upward. By twenty-three, he was a respected leader in the Camorra ranks.
Now, he was on a mission to assassinate a rival leader in Harwood. But the intel was flawed. Instead of an easy kill, more than twenty armed guards had ambushed him.
The firefight had been chaos—bullets tearing through the night as he barely escaped with his life. His desperate retreat led him to this abandoned factory.
And that was why he was here now.
"This is… really bad."
The merging of memories left him dazed, but one thing was clear: he was no longer Rishi, the overworked Indian office drone. He was Tommy Vercetti, gangster and survivor.
Just as despair began to settle in, thunder rumbled above the factory, followed by a crisp sound exploding inside his mind.
Ding!
> [Animation Lottery System Loaded]
Detecting host identity…
Newbie Lucky Draw Package issued!
A faint white glow appeared before him as streams of information filled his vision.
Name: Tommy Vercetti
Character Card: None
Abilities: None
Points: None
"What… is this?"
The sudden system prompt was like divine music to his ears. His heart raced with hope.
The Animation Lottery System. As the name suggested, it could grant him items and abilities drawn from countless animated worlds.
And though he hadn't yet discovered the rules of this strange system, the Newbie Gift Pack gave him a chance—a sliver of hope to survive the nightmare unfolding around him.
"System, open the Newbie Gift Pack!"
The enemies' footsteps were drawing nearer, echoing across the steel walkways. Time was running out. He had no luxury to hesitate.
Golden light burst into the air, forming a colossal wheel. Countless names and faces of animated characters spun across its surface.
"Huluwa…"
"Happy Superman…"
"Astro Boy…"
"Saint Seiya…"
"Tom Cat…"
"Invincible Kid…"
One by one, familiar childhood heroes flickered past.
The wheel slowed.
The pointer clicked into place.
> Character Card: Nobi Nobita
Occupation: Elementary School Student
Source: Doraemon
Tommy's face stiffened.
"…It's over."