The casino was thunder. Applause, sirens, air cannons—everything exploded at once. The central table lit up in fireworks, golden confetti raining down from the ceiling like divine judgment. Spotlights swept across the crowd and stopped dead on Xavier, who was just sitting there with that same laid-back grin, like he hadn't just broken the entire tournament with a royal flush.
A female voice echoed through the dome, loud, sharp, elegant—
"Winner confirmed. Team Xavier takes the prize… with a total victory of 100 billion credits!"
A storm of roars followed. Fans screaming. Glasses clinking. Champagne bottles popping. And then—
BOOM!
The entire center stage rotated, revealing a titanium vault rising from below. Engraved with shimmering gold digits: ₵100,000,000,000
Yelena didn't even blink. She just stood behind Xavier like a quiet blade, eyes locked on Ethan's group across the table. Watching. Waiting.
Ethan didn't move.
