Reincarnated with a lucky draw system

"Well, well, well… you just had to outdo yourself, didn't you?" Aaron grinned widely, his earlier gloom vanishing in an instant. His mood had risen like a tide, buoyed by his newest acquisition.

[You don't deserve it, host.]%

Aaron ignored the system's whining as if it were nothing more than background noise. His steps carried him steadily until he reached the entrance of the underground city. There, he finally laid eyes on them—humans standing outside, their bodies emanating the unmistakable aura of monsters. They lingered at the rear, issuing orders, while the beasts at the front threw themselves against the barrier like mindless battering rams.

Several goblins hurled their frail bodies at the city's shield, each impact sparking faint ripples of light across the protective dome. They were repelled instantly, tossed backward with bone-crunching force, yet they didn't stop. With crazed determination, they rose and flung themselves forward again. Some didn't rise at all—their bodies broken, lifeless—yet the others paid no heed, trampling their fallen kin as they continued the suicidal charge.

"Come now, there's no need to act barbaric," Aaron's voice rang out coolly. Though calm, it carried far, drawing every eye in the horde—and among them, Endrick's.

Aaron's appearance sent a ripple through the scene.

"Aaron." Endrick's lips curled into a grin, though his voice carried a strange mixture of relief and menace. "I'm so glad to see you alive." His eyes narrowed slightly. There was unfinished business between them, old threads left dangling, and he burned with anticipation to finally cut them.

"Yeah, me too." Aaron smirked, stepping just an inch within the safety of the shield. "Dying is so overrated. Take it from someone who can't die." His tone was mocking, his posture relaxed, as if daring Endrick to try.

Endrick's grin widened. "Just stay put, Aaron. I'll be breaking that damned shield soon enough. Then we'll have a proper conversation. This time, your parents' wealth won't swoop in to save you." His eyes gleamed with hunger, his anticipation palpable. He had never desired to tear anyone apart as much as he craved to shred Aaron.

Aaron tilted his head, casual as ever. "Relax, will you? I'm not going anywhere. But since you're so desperate for a fight… maybe I can help speed things along."

A sickle, crimson and dripping, coalesced into his hand—crafted purely from his blood. With a single casual swing, he cleaved through the glowing mechanism embedded in the entrance. Sparks exploded, then fizzled out. The protective shield flickered violently before collapsing completely, vanishing into nothing.

"Hahaha!" Endrick's laughter shook the air. "You could've lived a few minutes longer, but no—you had to go and invite death yourself." He stepped forward with deliberate slowness. The monsters in front of him instinctively parted, clearing a path as though paying homage to a king.

Aaron smiled faintly, his arms folding behind his back. "What can I say? I have an eternity ahead of me. Why not take some risks? Besides… you're too weak to be worth my time."

Endrick's grin twisted cold. "The rest of you—kill everyone you see. I'll handle this one myself."

With that, his body began to transform. Exoskeletal plates, black and jagged, spread across his skin like armor—an archnid's carapace. His muscles swelled grotesquely, cords of sinew knotting and tightening, infused with the raw power of orcs and ogres. Razor-sharp claws burst from his fingertips, glowing faintly with a serpentine venom's sheen. His tendons pulsed unnaturally, reminiscent of war orcs built for endless battle.

Aaron's eyes swept over him with disinterest. "So… vitality of a troll, muscles of orcs and ogres, armor of an archnid, claws of a dire wolf, venom of a serpent. You really had to stuff yourself with everything you could find, didn't you?"

"I did," Endrick roared, his voice echoing with the resonance of multiple beasts. "And it was worth it!"

With a surge of monstrous strength, he launched himself forward, both hands outstretched, aiming straight for Aaron's neck. His claws glinted with killing intent, slicing through the air.

Aaron didn't even flinch. His hand shot out lazily, catching Endrick's wrist mid-strike. Despite the monstrous force behind it, Aaron held him as easily as one might restrain a child.

"I'd love to entertain you," Aaron muttered, eyes glinting, "but you're far beneath me. Fighting you myself would be overkill. Which is why… Leo will be your perfect opponent."

"You!" Endrick bellowed, muscles bulging as he poured even more strength into his arm, trying to break free of Aaron's grip. His face twisted in rage.

"Don't bother," Aaron said softly. "You don't stand a chance against me at all. But after I'm done improving Leo's strength… you'll get the fight you so desperately want. For now…" His eyes sharpened, glowing faintly. "Stay still. All of you."

The words carried a weight beyond sound, laced with compulsion. Instantly, Endrick froze, his body locked. The other chimeras stilled. Even the monsters halted mid-motion, their snarls cut short as though someone had pressed pause on reality. None could move an inch.

Aaron released Endrick's wrist with a smirk. "I'll be right back. Alice should have everyone evacuated by now. I won't be long."

He opened a rift before the army's frozen eyes, stepping through calmly as though he had all the time in the world.

---

"Aaron!" Leo rushed forward, relief flooding his face. "How did it go? I'm so glad you made it out alive!"

"By the way, man… what is this place?" Leo looked around in awe, unable to hide his fascination.

"We can talk about that later," Aaron replied with a sly grin. "Right now, how would you feel about bullying Principal Endrick?"

Leo's eyes widened, then darkened with fury. "If I can, I'll pummel him into the ground and make him regret ever being born!" he spat instantly, his voice carrying a raw edge of hatred.

"Congratulations. Your prayer has just been answered."

Aaron snapped his fingers. A droplet of blood, glowing faintly with a crimson aura, shot from his fingertip and embedded itself into Leo's forehead. The blood carried the essence of his hybrid genes, refined to baron-level strength.

Leo's body convulsed violently before collapsing to the ground. His eyes dimmed as if the light had been extinguished from within.

"I thought you two were friends?!" Rhea's voice trembled as she rushed forward, panic etched across her face. "Why would you kill him?"

Aaron merely chuckled softly, waving away her panic. "Relax. In a few hours, he'll be awake." Humming a light tune, he turned his gaze elsewhere, already considering checking in on Michael's group.

"Yo!"

The sudden groan drew everyone's attention.

Leo stirred, pushing himself up shakily, his hand clutching his head. "What the heck, man? Did you just try to kill me?" His voice was pained, but his glare was sharp as he fixed it on Aaron.

Aaron froze, staring at him in disbelief. "You're awake already? How…?" His senses flared instinctively, scanning Leo from head to toe.

"So soon? Did you really just try to kill me?" Leo's tone was laced with accusation, and he even took a cautious step back, suspicion in his eyes.

"No," Aaron said quickly, his brows furrowing. "I gave you strength. You were supposed to be out for much longer, that's all."

"Strength…?" Leo paused, then slowly clenched his fists. A wave of vitality surged through his veins, raw power coursing into his limbs. His breath quickened. "Come to think of it… yeah. I do feel stronger." He closed his eyes, and instinctual knowledge of his new powers flooded into him. His body seemed to hum with energy.

Aaron tilted his head, confused. "How…?" His voice dropped, and this time he directed the question inward, toward his ever-reliable encyclopedia.

[Hah. Do you really not know how potent your blood is? It can heal anyone on the brink of death. You didn't just give him strength—you sired him. He's a vampire now, with your blood constantly flowing in his veins. What do you think, genius?]

Aaron's jaw tightened. "Hold up… so you're saying my bloodline mutated again?" His voice was low, almost dangerous. He struggled to restrain his emotions.

[Your brain really works on one byte, doesn't it?]

Aaron exhaled sharply through his nose. "…So, in simple terms, anyone I turn is no longer just immortal, but immortal like me? The same kind of immortal I am?" His voice was laced with both dread and awe. He couldn't afford to take this revelation lightly.