The story begins thirty years after the "Dungeon Incident," when dungeons suddenly appeared worldwide. These dungeons, numbering in the thousands, are now managed by individual nations, generating significant profits. Competition for rare dungeon resources has been fierce, with superpowers like the US, Russia, and China historically seizing territories. However, international agreements have led to a period of relative peace, with major dungeon explorations largely concluded.
The protagonist, Tadano Kazuhito, is an E-rank Dungeon Explorer, a common profession that emerged after the Japanese government outsourced dungeon investigations to private organizations. Despite a decade in the field, Kazuhito is a low-earning explorer, his annual income never exceeding two million yen due to his focus on low-level dungeons. He feels the limitations of his profession as he approaches thirty, realizing that without capital, individual explorers earn little. While modern weaponry is effective against dungeon monsters, specialized ammunition is prohibitively expensive. Kazuhito, having obtained a hunting rifle license, primarily relies on a metal bat and iron crowbar for combat, reserving his firearms for emergencies. He lacks the financial means to afford expensive skill cards or specialized equipment that could enhance his abilities.
Kazuhito's routine involves exploring the "Toshima Town Dungeon," a low-level dungeon in his rural hometown. The dungeon, seven floors deep with a former boss resembling a one-eyed giant, is now considered depleted by higher-ranked explorers. Kazuhito enters the first floor, populated by weak slimes, which he ignores as they offer minimal profit. His target is goblins, whose magic stones sell for 500 yen each, with a chance of dropping valuable accessories. His daily goal is to defeat ten goblins, aiming for a daily income of five to ten thousand yen. He employs stealth and ambush tactics, avoiding costly potions by minimizing damage. After achieving his goblin quota, he reflects on his meager earnings and contemplates a career change, but his limited work experience as an explorer makes this daunting.
On his way out, Kazuhito encounters a strangely colored, iridescent slime. In a fit of frustration, he stomps on it. The slime explodes in a bright flash, dropping a large magic stone and a rare skill card: [UR] Active Skill "Skill Gachadas." This discovery excites Kazuhito, as "Gacha" is a legendary, extremely rare skill that allows users to obtain various benefits through a point or money-based system. Despite his disbelief that such a valuable skill could be obtained from a low-level monster, he activates the card, learning "Skill Gachadas." This marks the beginning of a significant shift in his life.
The "Skill Gachadas" skill manifests as a meter-tall arcade-style machine. To use it, Kazuhito must insert money, with the first attempt costing a steep ten thousand yen. His first draw yields an [N] Passive Skill: "Agility Up (Minor)," which significantly enhances his agility. He learns that the "Skill Gachadas" machine can be summoned and dismissed at will. He then withdraws fifty thousand yen and uses the machine five more times, acquiring several new skills, including [R] Passive Skill: "Strength Up (Small)," which greatly increases his physical power. This newfound strength allows him to tackle stronger monsters like hobgoblins and orcs, enabling him to achieve the requirements for D-rank exploration.
Kazuhito's friend, Saji, a former dungeon explorer who quit to pursue a less dangerous career, visits him. Kazuhito demonstrates "Skill Gachadas" to Saji, who is astonished. They discover that when someone other than Kazuhito uses the machine, the money inserted can be retrieved, but attempts at infinite, malicious use are detected and prohibited. Saji suggests Kazuhito monetize his skill by offering "gacha" pulls to other explorers, a proposition that tempts Kazuhito with the prospect of immense wealth.
Kazuhito sets up his "Skill Gachadas" machine near the "Minami Shinbashi Dungeon," a large and bustling dungeon. He advertises one-thousand-yen skill card draws. The novelty of the machine attracts a crowd of curious explorers, some of whom successfully obtain useful skills like "Petit Flame" and "Agility Up (Small)." The growing crowd and the envy of other vendors suggest Kazuhito's business will be lucrative, but he realizes he may need to formalize his operations with the Dungeon Management Association.