The protagonist, Yamada Ryu, a seemingly ordinary university student, awakens in a stark white room, the size of a gymnasium, with no discernible exits. His last memory is going to sleep after playing games on his smartphone. The room is illuminated without a visible light source, and the only anomaly is a gachapon machine in the center. A single, unmarked coin is provided. Upon inserting the coin and pulling the lever, a white capsule labeled 'C' is dispensed. Inside, he finds a slip of paper stating "Convenience store chicken." Shortly after, a bag of fried chicken inexplicably drops from the ceiling.
A global announcement follows, revealing that humanity is on a path to self-destruction within 30 years due to environmental collapse. A higher intelligence has intervened, selecting one thousand humans to compete for absolute dominion over Earth. The protagonist's first "achievement" is "Try pulling the gachapon," for which he receives a "10-roll gachapon coin" and partial system access. He discovers a rudimentary interface with limited glossary entries, which expand as he interacts with the system. The 10-roll gachapon yields a variety of seemingly useless items, including a paper crane, a doghouse, and a "Bokki Grade 3 problem set." However, a bonus draw from the 10-roll gachapon produces a toilet, which materializes as a functional toilet in a newly formed wooden door within the white room.
The world learns of the competition through global broadcasts and an internet site showcasing the chosen thousand individuals and their abilities. While other participants receive powerful abilities and artifacts, Yamada Ryu's initial "item" is the gachapon itself. He later finds a 10-yen coin in his pajama pocket, allowing him to pull the gachapon again, yielding "Life Game." Playing alone, he experiences a surreal and lonely game, eventually winning a "Salmon sashimi" as a prize.
The narrative then shifts to the broader context of the competition. Other chosen individuals are demonstrating their powers: a Russian creates a forest, an American builds an army, a Japanese summons beautiful girls, and an Englishman establishes a factory. Yamada Ryu, meanwhile, continues to receive mundane items from the gachapon, such as a "Gachapon Effect 08" and a "Jiro-style ramen shop." He also receives login bonuses like a "Camp Set" and a "Jersey Set" with an automatic cleaning function.
A "Treasure Map" appears, pointing to a location off the coast of Florida, which is later reported as discovered by others, rendering it useless to him. He also obtains a "Divine Sword Aegis," a powerful weapon that grants numerous buffs but is restricted to female users, rendering it useless for him. The system reveals that "edited" information is withheld until certain achievements are met.
The protagonist's situation is dire, with limited food and seemingly useless items. He receives an "SR Unit Confirmation Coin," which yields "Homunculus x12." These homunculi are described as beautiful but mute, and they engage him in a lengthy game of Mahjong, which he finds surprisingly enjoyable and a welcome form of communication. The game's mechanics are further revealed, including a "ranking" system influenced by viewer votes and a "response team" managing the participants. The Mahjong sets are revealed to be powered by an unknown energy source. The narrative highlights the growing disparity between participants and the protagonist's struggle to find utility in his gachapon-obtained items.
