Chapter 3: Gacha Pulls
Just as Natsume had everything ready and was about to initiate her very first ten-pull, the three children she had briefly encountered moments ago were already chattering excitedly about her.
"Mitsuhiko, Genta! I just bumped into a really pretty big sister in the restroom!" Ayumi shared her special encounter with her friends, her small face flushed and completely unable to contain her excitement.
Genta rubbed his stomach and blinked. "Was it that big sister with the golden hair? The one who looked really gentle?"
"Yes!" Ayumi nodded eagerly. "Genta, Mitsuhiko, did you guys see her just now too?"
"Mhm, mhm," Genta and Mitsuhiko nodded in perfect unison.
"The big sister's hair was so pretty, exactly like sunlight. And her eyes were golden too," Ayumi recalled, her cheeks growing even redder as she remembered being gently watched by the beautiful stranger in the restroom.
Genta crossed his arms and nodded sagely. "Yeah, looking at her felt just like eating a warm bowl of curry."
Mitsuhiko let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Genta, you only ever think about food. How could you possibly compare a person to curry?"
Genta rubbed the back of his head, looking a bit embarrassed but standing his ground. "I'm just describing how looking at that big sister makes me feel happy! And I feel happy when I see food, so it makes perfect sense."
Mitsuhiko shook his head before looking around the crowded park. "I wonder if we will run into that sister again later?"
Ayumi drooped slightly, feeling a wave of pity. "Sigh, I didn't even have time to ask for her name just now."
Genta, never one to dwell on things for too long, waved his hand dismissively. "Forget it. Ayumi is done with the restroom, so where should we go play next?"
"Let's go to the Roller Coaster over there! There are so many people lining up, it looks like a lot of fun," Mitsuhiko suggested, pointing toward the towering steel tracks in the distance.
Upon hearing this, Genta and Ayumi instantly regained their boundless energy and set off toward the Roller Coaster at a brisk trot.
At this exact moment, Natsume was hiding in a quiet, inconspicuous corner of the park, using her consciousness to press the glowing gacha button hovering in her mind. It was time for her first ten-pull in this new world.
As she pressed the virtual button, Natsume could not help but pray fervently in her heart. 'I want the Lord of Geo. I want Zhongli. Please give me the Geo Archon...' She repeated these titles over and over like a mantra, desperately hoping to chant Zhongli into existence. After all, Rex Lapis's jade shield provided an unmatched sense of security. With him by her side, Natsume felt her survival in this dangerous world would be absolutely guaranteed, allowing her to wander around without a single worry.
Suddenly, a brilliant light flashed across the gacha interface. A shooting star streaked across her vision, shifting colors until it erupted into a blinding, magnificent gold.
She actually pulled a gold on her very first ten-pull! Natsume's heart hammered against her ribs, her excitement spiking to new heights.
Ten cards materialized on the interface. Aside from the single glowing gold card, there was one purple card, and the remaining eight were blue. The system required her to flip them over herself. She had the option to flip them one by one or reveal them all at once.
Wanting to savor the anticipation, Natsume naturally chose to flip them one by one.
First came the eight blue cards. Unsurprisingly, they were mostly standard three-star weapons. She revealed a Messenger bow, a Harbinger of Dawn sword, and a Magic Guide catalyst. However, mixed in with the weapons were two consumable items: a plate of Flaming Red Bolognese and a Sweet Madame. The phantom scent of roasted fowl and rich tomato sauce briefly drifted through her senses. She had not expected that everyday food items from the system would be obtained through the gacha pool.
Now, only two cards remained. Natsume tapped the purple card first. Sparks of Electro danced across the screen, revealing a character card: Lisa, the Knights of Favonius Librarian and one of the starter trio from Genshin Impact. Natsume smiled, feeling that her luck had been exceptionally good so far, which only made her look forward to the golden card even more.
Taking a deep breath, Natsume carefully selected the gold card. After a massive flare of golden light, the image cleared.
It was Alhaitham.
Although a brief flicker of disappointment washed over her because it was not Zhongli, logic quickly took the reins. Alhaitham was an incredibly solid pull. In Teyvat, Alhaitham was the Scribe of the Sumeru Akademiya, a man possessing extraordinary wisdom, rational thinking, and immense talent. In a modern, logic-driven Science World like this one, his intellect would definitely be a massive advantage.
Natsume decided to test controlling Alhaitham with her consciousness right away. Ensuring she was still safely tucked away in her inconspicuous corner, she instructed Paimon to release the character.
Particles of Dendro green light coalesced in front of her, and Natsume looked up at the Alhaitham standing there. Because he did not possess an active consciousness yet, his eyes remained closed. The system had thoughtfully adapted his attire to fit the modern aesthetics of this world. He wore a fitted black T-shirt beneath a sleek dark green coat, with his signature noise-canceling headphones resting over his silver-gray hair. It was not as exaggerated as his original game design, making him look exactly like a stylish, albeit aloof, college student.
Following Paimon's instructions, Natsume focused her mind, separated a small portion of her own consciousness, and projected it directly into Alhaitham's vessel.
The moment she did, the person standing in front of her opened his eyes. Striking teal pupils focused sharply on her face.
It was a deeply strange sensation, as if her mind had been split into two distinct halves. She could feel a direct, tethered connection between the man in front of her and her own body. She could vaguely sense his baseline emotions—a deep, unwavering pool of rational calm—yet he still felt entirely distinct from her own primary self.
"Hello, Traveler." Alhaitham quickly grasped the current situation, his voice smooth and utterly unbothered as he spoke first. "No need to stare. It is quite obvious: we are the same person. You are me, and I am you."
Natsume rubbed her temples, feeling a slight headache coming on. "The way you speak makes it feel like the real Alhaitham is standing right in front of me. Also, do not call me Traveler. Just call me by my name."
"Actually, this is a perfectly normal psychological phenomenon," Alhaitham replied, his tone conversational but detached. "I—that is to say, your projected consciousness—will naturally be influenced by the character's inherent template during the role-playing process. To a significant extent, I am Alhaitham."
Seeing that his original self was functioning perfectly fine, Alhaitham glanced up at the bright afternoon sun, then reached up to adjust his headphones. "Is there nothing else? If not, I am going to put on my noise-canceling headphones and find a quiet place to sleep for a while."
After delivering that deadpan statement, he casually stepped to the side, preparing to walk right past Natsume.
"Wait!" Natsume quickly reached out and grabbed Alhaitham's sleeve, stopping him in his tracks. What a joke! She had brought the brilliant Scribe out here to provide tactical help, not to have him instantly clock out for a nap.
Just as she was about to lecture him, Paimon suddenly chimed in, reminding Natsume that a new mission had been triggered.
Natsume used her consciousness to open the system's mission log. A translucent blue panel appeared in her vision.
[World Mission: Roller Coaster Murder Case]
[Description: A sad accident has occurred in the Amusement Park that brings joy. As the Roller Coaster passes through a pitch-black tunnel, it leaves behind the bitter tears of love and the blood of a sacrifice.]
[Objective: Please prevent the case from happening in advance or identify the murderer in public.]
When Natsume read the mission description, a chill ran down her arms. She instantly realized this was the very first major case from the beginning of the Detective Conan series. If that was true, then the Amusement Park she was currently standing in was Tropical Land. This was the exact location where Kudo Shinichi would be ambushed by the Black Organization and turned into Conan Edogawa.
Natsume glanced over and noticed that Alhaitham had absolutely no reaction to the sudden mission prompt. She realized he probably could not see the system panel at all. She quickly summarized the mission details to him, fully expecting the genius scholar to drop his nap plans and formulate a flawless strategy.
Instead, Alhaitham let out a soft, measured sigh. "Natsume, you are someone with very strong self-care and cognitive abilities. also, you already know the answer to this riddle, so completing the mission should be as easy as turning over your hand. I have no advice to give you, and you certainly should not need my help for something so trivial. I am leaving first."
Natsume stood frozen, her mouth slightly open. She did not know how to respond to that flawless, infuriating logic. She could only watch helplessly as Alhaitham slipped his hands into his pockets and casually strolled out of the corner, disappearing into the bustling crowd.
Left with absolutely no other choice, Natsume let out a long breath and decided to rely on herself.
Besides, Alhaitham was entirely right. She already knew the answer to the mystery. She knew exactly who the killer was and how the gruesome trick was performed. She just needed to step up and say it before Kudo Shinichi did in order to complete the system's mission. However, her absolute current priority was to find the exact location where the case would occur. If she moved fast enough, she might even be able to prevent the decapitation from happening in the first place.
Squaring her shoulders, Natsume stepped out of the shaded corner. She scanned the vibrant skyline of Tropical Land, locked her eyes on the towering peaks of the Roller Coaster, and marched purposefully in that direction.
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