As time passed, SHIELD did not kick down his door, and Kingpin's forces did not raid the apartment in the middle of the night. Perhaps SHIELD was still analyzing the data, or perhaps Fisk was biding his time, wary of an unknown enemy who could obliterate his best hitman with a gesture.
In short, the new week passed quietly. Life settled into a routine for the three of them.
Lorna had mastered the "One Mind, Two Uses" technique, making her a highly efficient assistant. She could now trace and ink two pages simultaneously using her magnetic control.
However, she still looked depressed whenever she saw the virtual projection appear on the paper. 'What kind of power is this?' she wondered. 'He just... manifests the art out of thin air.'
Knowing that Light's earnings from these comics were astronomical compared to her previous life of petty theft, she took her job very seriously.
"Cartoonists are so popular," Lorna sighed one afternoon, watching Light work.
Light didn't have the heart to tell her that most other cartoonists couldn't even afford rent. Only he, with the System, could earn money until his hands cramped.
Seeing Lorna's serious attitude, Light spent time teaching her the basics of artistic theory—anatomy, perspective, shading—so she could improve her skills beyond mere tracing.
One evening, after checking his stats, Light dismissed Lorna for the night. She went to her room, excited to have completed another chapter ahead of schedule. Light retreated to his own bedroom.
"System. Open Interface."
A translucent blue screen materialized in front of him.
[Fan Value: 1,600,000]
Light's eyes widened. "1.6 million?"
This value was exhilarating. Last week, he had barely scraped together a million. Now, in just half a week, he had gained another 600,000.
It seemed his theory about Fan Value was correct: a single person could provide multiple points.
For example, if a reader was a sincere fan of One Punch Man, they might generate 10 Fan Points a month. But if that same reader also enjoyed Attack on Titan and Tokyo Ghoul, they would generate points for those titles as well.
As long as he kept releasing hit after hit, his fan base would compound.
Moreover, when the plot reached an emotional peak or a cliffhanger, 'Sincere Fans' could evolve into 'Loyal Fans,' generating even more value.
'At this rate,' Light mused, 'once I expand the catalog, earning a million points a day isn't impossible.'
He looked at the lottery interface. He had options.
"System, adjust the lottery specifications. One draw for 600,000? No... too expensive. Let's do... five draws at 100,000, and save the rest for the higher tiers."
He couldn't afford to blow a million on a single "Grand Prize" draw yet. He needed quantity right now.
"Start the 100,000 tier. Five times."
The virtual wheel spun rapidly.
[Ding! Congratulations Host. Obtained: Genos Power Core Fragment x1]
A battery glowing with a dim yellow light floated in the air. An item description popped up.
Genos Power Core Fragment: Collect three to synthesize a complete Power Core. Contains immense energy. Suitable as a core for machinery or energy-based weaponry.
"Not bad," Light nodded. He dragged it into his System Warehouse. "Next."
[Ding! Congratulations Host. Obtained: 3D Maneuver Gear (Complete Set)]
Thump.
A heavy collection of metal parts materialized on the floor: gas canisters, grappling hooks, razor-sharp blades, the main turbine unit, and the leather harness.
3D Maneuver Gear: Standard military equipment from Attack on Titan. Used to effectively target a Titan's nape. Highly practical in the comic world.
"Useless," Light sighed.
In the Marvel Universe, swinging around on gas-powered grappling hooks was suicide. Iron Man could fly at supersonic speeds. Spider-Man had spider-sense. This gear was a toy compared to MCU tech.
Light shoved the gear into a garbage bag. He'd give it to Lorna to dispose of later. Or maybe keep it as a cosplay prop.
"Continue."
[Ding! Congratulations Host. Obtained: Mikasa's Red Scarf]
Light held the red scarf in his hand. It had no stats. It was just a scarf. It felt silky and soft—high-quality wool, handmade.
"It's a nice scarf," Light muttered. "I'll give it to Gali. I haven't given the little glutton a gift in a while."
Three draws down. Two junk items, one fragment. Light wasn't discouraged. His first draw ever had been insanely lucky; this was just the regression to the mean.
"Come on. Give me something good."
[Ding! Congratulations Host. Obtained: Rize Kamishiro's Kakuhou Fragment x1]
A lump of pulsating red flesh appeared in front of him. It squirmed with vitality.
Kakuhou Fragment: Collect three to synthesize a complete Kakuhou. An organ exclusive to Ghouls, used to store Rc cells. When activated, releases a Kagune (Predator Organ). Collecting multiple can lead to Kakuja evolution.
"Ew," Light wrinkled his nose. He stored it in the warehouse. Even if he completed it, he had no desire to become a Ghoul. The strength increase was limited compared to Marvel power levels, and he really didn't want to develop a craving for human flesh.
[Ding! Congratulations Host. Obtained: Pig God's Hoodie (One Punch Man)]
Light stared as a massive, dark green hoodie fell from the air. It was absolutely enormous, large enough to cover a small elephant.
Pig God's Hoodie: Worn by the S-Class Hero Pig God. It is made of a special material that is extremely elastic and durable, capable of expanding to fit any size without tearing.
"System... does your conscience not hurt?"
Light threw it into the trash bag with the Maneuver Gear. It seemed the lottery wasn't limited to just the comics he was drawing, but anything within the "Manga" concept.
"Alright. The 100,000 tier is tapped out. The drop rate for good skills is abysmal."
Light looked at his remaining Fan Value: 1.1 million.
"System, adjust specifications. Let's try the mid-tier. Two draws at 300,000 each. Leave 500,000 for a big one."
"It would be nice if there was a Shop function," Light sighed, missing the microtransactions of his previous life's mobile games. "I have the points. Just let me buy what I want directly. Paying to win is a valid strategy!"
Suddenly, the mechanical voice of the System echoed in his mind, sounding almost... amused?
[Detected that the Host is full of resentment and desire. The Shop Function will be launched after the System Upgrade.]
Light's face darkened. "Oh, so now that I'm complaining, you tell me? Can you give me a free upgrade?"
[No.]
"When will you upgrade?"
[System upgrade conditions are unknown. Please explore on your own.]
"Sigh...." Light just sighs. "Just spin the wheel."
The wheel spun for the 300,000 tier. The lights flashed gold.
[Ding! Congratulations Host. Obtained: Saitama Character Fragment x2. Obtained Skill Fragment: Armored Gorilla's Agility x1.]
Saitama Fragment: Collect ten to summon Saitama. Summoned character maintains friendly trust with the Host.
Armored Gorilla's Agility: A skill fragment from the House of Evolution's cyborg. Demon-level speed and reflex enhancement.
Light was a little disappointed.
Armored Gorilla wasn't exactly top-tier, but agility was his current weakness. He had defense and offense, but his movement speed was merely human-peak.
"Equip."
A green light flew from the interface into Light's limbs. He felt his body become lighter, his reflexes sharpening instantly.
He tested it by running up the bedroom wall. He stuck effortlessly, moving with blur-like speed.
"Not bad," Light grinned. "Speed, Strength, Defense. I'm becoming a well-rounded fighter. Next draw."
[Ding! Congratulations Host. Obtained: Ken Kaneki's Fragment x1, Mikasa Ackerman Fragment x3, Saitama Fragment x1. Bonus Item: Saitama's Red Gloves.]
"Damn it," Light cursed. "It's all fragments."
He now had a pile of puzzle pieces. He couldn't use character fragments until he had the full set. He tossed the red rubber gloves onto the desk and stored the fragments.
"Why is the drop rate for fragments so high? It's like a gacha game rigged by a greedy developer."
[System Prompt: Host, please continue to draw?]
He had 500,000 points left. One high-tier draw.
Light took a deep breath. He needed to focus his spiritual energy.
"Odin, Zeus, Osiris, Vishnu, Itzamna, Manitou... Great Skyfathers of every pantheon, look down upon this humble mortal!" Light shouted at the ceiling, clasping his hands together. "Grant me your divine luck! Bless this spin!"
"Draw!"
The wheel spun violently, glowing with a rainbow luster.
[Ding! Congratulations Host! Grand Prize Obtained!]
[Obtained: Genos' Incineration Cannon (Complete Blueprint & Weapon)]
[Obtained Vaccine Man Skill Package: Energy Ball Fragment x1, Agility Fragment x1, Regeneration Fragment x1]
Several beams of light shot out. First, a sleek, metallic mechanical arm attachment materialized.
Genos' Incineration Cannon: Requires a high-energy core (Genos Power Core or Arc Reactor) to operate. Devastating firepower capable of leveling city blocks. Upgradable.
Light remembered this weapon well. It had vaporized the House of Evolution's base instantly.
"Powerful," Light nodded. "But I can't use it. I'm biological, not a cyborg. Into the warehouse for now."
He turned his attention to the white orbs of light—the Skill Fragments. This was the real prize.
Regeneration Fragment: Grants the user high-speed regeneration capabilities derived from Earth's Will. (Mid-Tier).
"Yes!"
Light equipped it immediately. A warm current rushed through his body, washing over every cell. He felt his vitality surge. Small cuts from paper handling healed instantly. His stamina refilled. With this, he could fight longer and recover from injuries that would otherwise cripple him.
He looked at the other fragments.
The Energy Ball icon updated from "Level 2" to "Level 3." The sphere in the icon grew larger and more unstable. His firepower had just doubled.
Then he looked at the Agility Fragment.
"System, why is the Vaccine Man's Agility fragment identical to the Armored Gorilla one?"
[Host, please equip to find out.]
"Equip."
The fragment turned into green light and flooded his body. Light gasped as his nervous system seemed to electrify.
He looked at his status panel. The icon for Agility changed. The number in the corner flipped from "1" to "2."
"This is..." Light murmured, clenching his fist as he felt the surge of speed coursing through his veins.