The webcam flickered to life, illuminating William's skinny face. "Another day," he mumbled, a hollow laugh escaping him. He'd tried the 9-to-5, hated it, then poured every ounce of hope into streaming – a digital escape, a dream of connection. But the viewer count remained stagnant, the donations non-existent. Each pixel on his screen was a stark reminder of his crushing failure, the crushing weight of bills, and the gnawing loneliness.
"It's just… too much," he whispered to the handful of unwitting viewers, his voice cracking. He spoke of the endless grind, the silent despair, the world that felt indifferent to his existence.
As his stream continued, an unsettling quiet fell. Then, with a stark, irreversible act, William ended his life, live for the world to see.
His final broadcast, a raw, unflinching glimpse into a soul pushed to its breaking point, exploded across the internet. It shattered viewing records, dominating headlines, and becoming the most talked-about event globally.
Unbeknownst to humanity, it's tragic, viral reach resonated far beyond terrestrial networks, breaching the veil between worlds, and capturing the attention of beings in realms humans could only dream of.
The Unknown Being sighed, a sound that seemed to ripple through the fabric of reality itself. He had observed William's final moments, a brief, tragic flicker of a human life extinguished too soon. "How fragile they are," he muttered under his breath, his words echoing through the cosmic void. Yet, a spark of curiosity, an unusual notion, ignited within him.
He reached out, and a swirling orb of pure light materialized in his grasp, humming with untold power. "Perhaps," he murmured, he looked at orb with pure possession, "I'll break some universal laws, but I want to see if this 'live streaming' thing, created by weak humans, can gain popularity in another world."
With a gentle flick of his wrist, the orb shot through the space, a luminous streak aimed directly at Earth. It descended swiftly, finding William's recently departed soul, and with a soft, ethereal pull, absorbed it within its glowing confines.
The orb then pulsed once more before vanishing, taking William's essence to a new, unknown beginning.
"Show me," the Unknown Being spoke, while looking in a certain direction, a hint of challenge in his mysterious voice, "if you truly have what it takes to be the world's number one streamer."
William jolted awake, still feeling the chilling aftermath of what he'd just done.
He wasn't in the blackness he'd expected, but... in a crib? His infant eyes, wide with a terror no newborn should feel, darted around the unfamiliar, oversized wooden bars. He tried to sit up, to push himself out of this bizarre prison, but his tiny, useless limbs refused to obey.
"Huh! Am I... reborn?" The realization hit him when he saw his tiny hands, a dizzying wave of disbelief washed over him.
He remembered the glow of his webcam, the flimsy connection with eleven strangers, the devastating decision. It had been mere moments ago... or had it? "No freaking way..."
Then, a flicker of hope, quickly dashed. "This has gotta be some messed-up dream." But the reality of his immobile state, the sheer alienness of his surroundings, was undeniable. Maybe… maybe this was the "different experience" his desperate mind had craved in those final moments.
Just as the enormity of his situation began to sink in, a translucent panel shimmered into existence before his infant face.
[Ding]
[Welcome Streamer William]
[You have been granted the Universal Streaming System]
"This is a joke, right?" William thought frantically, his tiny hands flailing uselessly against the glowing screen. The letters remained, unwavering. "It... it actually seems real. Just like those system novels I used to read?" A streaming system, though? A strange, almost anticlimactic twist after his dramatic end. He wasn't exactly disappointed, just utterly bewildered by the sheer absurdity of it all. What in the world did a baby need with a streaming system?
Then, a cheerful chime echoed in his mind.
[Ding]
[Unknown Being of Higher realm has gifted Golden Gachapon]
Below the notification, another message appeared:
[Request: Dear streamer, I wish you good luck in your new life. Keep streaming... ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶]
His wide eyes then caught something else: [You have gained 1 subscriber: Unknown Being of Higher realm]
"What's happening? I'm... a streamer again? And there's already someone gifting me? What even is a Golden Gachapon? And 'Unknown Being of Higher realm'? Seriously?"
As if in answer to his unspoken questions, another translucent panel materialized, displaying a vibrant [Gifts] menu right in front of his baby gaze.
-[Menu]-
Golden Gachapon: Activates a "Divine Lottery", granting William a random, extremely rare, or legendary ability/item/companion.
Magic castle: Bestows William with a high-tier magical skill.
Space craft: William gains the ability to teleport to any known location.
Dragon: Summons a loyal, low-tier dragon familiar for a limited time.
Car: Summons a random, luxurious carriage with many facilities and a protective shield, one-time use only.
Massage chair: Fully restores William's stamina and mental energy.
Capsule: William receives a random beneficial consumable item.
Pizza: William receives a random low-level skill.
Ice Cola: Increases William's experience points (EXP) by +1.
William stared, dumbfounded, at the vibrant [Gifts] menu hovering before his face.
His confusion quickly changed into a profound shock. This wasn't just any rebirth; this was a magical fantasy world. He skimmed through the listed gifts, his mind reeling. Divine Lottery! Magic skills? Dragon familiar? It was all too unbelievable, yet undeniably real.
His gaze finally landed on the Golden Gachapon listed at the very top. He remembered the notification – he'd been gifted one! A surge of adrenaline, strange for a baby, coursed through him. The Golden Gachapon then glowed brighter, prompting him. This was it, the "Divine Lottery".
"Open!" he thought, or perhaps willed, with every fiber of his tiny being.
The Divine Lottery expanded like a scroll of starlight, spinning through possibilities before landing on a single, dazzling icon.
[Congratulations! You have received an SSS-Rank Skill: Creation!]
Another shock jolted William, too much for a newborn to process, yet he lay there, helpless in his crib. He focused on the glowing screen, his infant eyes scanning the description of his newly acquired SSS-Rank skill.
[Creation: The ability to materialize objects from thought. Creation is limited by the wielder's current level and mental fortitude. This skill possesses infinite growth potential, evolving alongside its master.]
So, he couldn't just snap his fingers and conjure a new world or a living, breathing dragon. Not yet, anyway.
The skill was powerful, but its immediate utility was constrained by his current, well, baby level and undeveloped mental power. His mind, still reeling, raced through possibilities.
A car in this fantasy world? A war machine from his old life? He quickly dismissed the grander ideas; they weren't feasible right now. Instead, a cunning thought formed in his nascent consciousness. He'd use this skill, even in its limited state, to gain popularity and thrive through his streams. This was his chance, and he'd make the most of it.
But the sheer influx of information, the dizzying flow of shocking revelations, had pushed his infant mind to its absolute limit. His newfound understanding of SSS-Rank skills and universal systems faded as exhaustion washed over him.
His tiny eyelids grew heavy, refusing to stay open. Slowly, inexorably, William succumbed to the overwhelming fatigue, drifting into a deep, much-needed sleep.
[Ding]
A new notification, sharp and insistent, ripped William from hours of much-needed, dreamless sleep. His eyes snapped open.
[The Lonely Turtle has subscribed.]
[The Lonely Turtle has gifted, Ice Cola]
[Request: Brother, I found out about this new thing and decided to give it a try. I couldn't see the woman breastfeeding you, because you aren't online. Can you grant me the request please, I love Elf women?]
"Huh?"
"So, this wasn't a dream."
William's infant mind, still fuzzy from sleep, struggled to process the words. "Lonely Turtle?" "Breastfeeding?" His eyes widened.
He blinked, trying to clear the lingering sleep from his vision. That's when he noticed it. He wasn't in a crib anymore. He was in a soft, luxurious bed, and right beside him, sleeping soundly, was a woman of breathtaking beauty, with features so exquisite, she looked like a goddess.
A/N: Save the Novel!