I accepted the system prompt and the update downloaded instantly, but I didn't check it yet. My brain was too foggy and the carriage ride was still far from over.

It was better to wait until we were back rather than react to something important in a crowded place.

We eventually reached home, and everyone moved sluggishly as they stepped out of the carriage.

The moment the front door closed and we were back in familiar walls, a breath of safety seemed to ripple through the room.

"Shopkeeper, now that we are free… Luna and I think we should return home for a little while."

Leo cleared his throat, glancing briefly at Luna before speaking again.

I nodded before he even finished. I had no desire to stop these two or keep them with me. They were free to go around as they wanted.

"You both have the right to what you want. You are finally free, so make sure you enjoy your freedom. You don't need to be tied to me all the time. But make sure to come around once-in-a-while."

I answered calmly.

Luna sniffled a little, but she nodded earnestly.

"Of course. We… don't want to leave permanently. We'll come back to help you out whenever you need us. It's just… we want to look at the world with our own eyes for a bit."

"Then go. You deserve to live a life that someone else didn't dictate for you."

I said, and even surprised myself with how easily the words came out.

Relief washed over the siblings.

Leo's smile did not reach his eyes, but it was the first genuine one he had given me.

They both hugged me quickly, and I let them.

I helped them pack, made sure they had enough funds to travel, and watched as they walked out the door with a sense of purpose, finally moving toward a future that belonged to them rather than someone else.

The rest of us remained-Nyx, Erebus, Fenrir, and me.

Nyx and Erebus were quiet but relaxed, settling into their rooms without complaint.

Fenrir, as usual, lingered nearby with that silent watchfulness, but he didn't pry into what I was thinking.

Once everyone was settled, I grabbed my jacket and keys.

"I'll be out for a bit."

I announced.

Fenrir glanced up, all excited.

"Master, do you want me to come with you?"

"Hmm, not yet. You stay with the kids for now. I need to head out alone. Make sure no one breaks in here."

They nodded. Fenrir looked like he wanted to follow but didn't insist, so I left alone.

The station was crowded-rush-hour packed. It took a moment for my eyes to land on the familiar neon glow of the claw machine tucked between vending lines and photo booths.

Ordinary people swarmed around it, some laughing, some arguing, some checking their phones while they waited for their turn.

I expected to see maybe a small bump in progress.

But when I checked the numbers, my eyes widened.

[Fate Earned: +2,000. New total- 2100 faith points]

"Two… thousand?"

I whispered under my breath.

This wasn't just passive income anymore. It was an active income.

People had been using the claw machine nonstop-morning, night, weekends. Someone even taped a homemade banner on it that said: "One-stop solution for all your problems!" with doodles of little prizes on it.

'Wow. This sure is a surprise. But it is good, right? This means I can use this claw machine even more in the future.'

If one single machine at a single station could generate 2,000 Fate in a few days… then earning 100,000 wasn't impossible.

I stared at the crowd gathered around it-teenagers, office workers, couples-and a whisper of adrenaline shot through my body.

I had been thinking too small.

It was finally time to expand these machines and earn even more. At this rate, the dream of getting the 100k was not far off.

But I would need a lot more of them.

The moment I got home, I pulled out a notebook and marked locations in the city I knew well-places where foot traffic never died.

Main Junction Terminal.

University Front Station.

Central Mall Underground Platform.

Hospital Shuttle Stop.

Festival Market Square on weekends.

I cross-referenced them with the system's available installation fees and approval rules. Some locations were too expensive for now, but three were within reach.

Three machines running at the same time.

Three times the rate.

And once those earned enough Fate, I could finally take a trip home. Not that I had a longing for my home any longer.

But the thought of getting to go back was the only thing keeping me going at this point.

The decision was so clear it didn't even feel like a choice.

I purchased the new claw machines from the system, the payment ripping away the remaining Faith I had left, but it didn't bother me. It was an investment-something that would come back stronger.

I placed the machines one by one over the next day. It took a lot of teleporting back and forth, but I made sure each one was in a place with constant foot traffic. W

hen I saw a small crowd gather around the second machine before I even finished locking the maintenance panel, I knew I had chosen the right area.

Finally, I returned to the original station. The crowd was still going strong, and I knew now that they wouldn't stop-not anytime soon.

Before I left, I taped a clean, laminated sign to the side of the machine:

[NEW MACHINES NOW AVAILABLE

- Main Junction Terminal (near Exit C)

- University Front Station (Food Court Lobby)

- Central Mall Underground Platform (beside escalator)]

"This should do the trick."

I stepped back and watched.

People immediately leaned in to read it. Excitement covered people's eyes before they quickly turned around and started walking out.

By the end of the day, everyone knew that there were new claw machines available.

________

By the end of the day, word had spread farther than anyone expected.

It began with a handful of students who discovered the new claw machine at University Front Station and immediately posted news of it. The word of the mouth started to spread around.

Then a group of office workers at Main Junction Terminal noticed the same brand and same crest on the side panel.

Someone at the Central Mall Underground Platform filmed a short clip of a girl winning a prize on her first try and screaming that it had to be even wrote a small serenada to inform the people of the greatness that was the claw machine.

None of them realized at first that the machines were connected.

But as evening settled across the city, the information threaded itself together through whispers, comments, and frantic messages.

Different people from different parts of the city compared details-same manufacturer, same glowing decal, same strange luck that made first-time wins almost guaranteed.

It didn't take long before someone mentioned the old rumor again.

The Claw God.

A name that had started as nothing more than a joke-an exaggeration of a lucky streak-suddenly sounded much heavier.

Ever since that first machine appeared, strange coincidences lined up. Those who got their fortunes from the claw machine had the advantage of knowing their future.

No one could explain it, but no one wanted to.

So when three new machines appeared on the same day, in three different districts, the conclusion felt inevitable.

"The Claw God is listening."

Someone whispered it first, but many repeated it. Soon the saying spread all over the town.

Crowds gathered around each machine, not just to play but to pray.

People stood with clasped hands, some bowing their heads before inserting a coin, others pressing their palms flat to the glowing glass as though waiting for an answer.

They won-again and again.

Families carried plush toys home as blessings. Teenagers held their prizes like sacred charms. Commuters tucked tiny figurines into their pockets with trembling gratitude.

People who had never believed in anything supernatural found themselves thanking a being they had never seen.

The idea solidified quickly:

The arrival of the new claw machines wasn't random.

It was a sign from the claw god about his rise. He was telling people that it was time to rise up and spread the world of his coming.

"We need to be ready to receive our god. He has shown us his grace."

Someone whispered.

"That is right. Our god is about to be back and he shall guide us into this new world."

Someone else agreed in a low voice.

By nightfall, the belief had grown into certainty.

If their god answered prayers so quickly… then perhaps their loyalty demanded more than coins and gratitude.

Perhaps their world had been left in the hands of corrupt leaders and broken systems for too long. Perhaps their luck had been stolen, their hope suffocated-until now.

And so, without any single person planning it, the conclusion settled over them like prophecy.

In the name of the Claw God, they would rise.

They would revolt.

They would change the world.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.