The staircase pulsed beneath Rex's feet with each step — a rhythm that felt almost like a heartbeat.
Cards formed each step, shuffling and reshaping with every move.
Above him, laughter echoed: soft, booming, divine, mortal — a thousand voices overlapping.
The Dealer's voice hummed in his head.
"Careful on the stairs. First-timers sometimes fall through entire realities."
Rex glanced down nervously. The cards below him winked.
"Comforting as always."
"Customer service is my middle name."
The staircase ended at a door — black and gold, engraved with a single sigil: ♠.
The moment Rex touched it, the door opened on its own.
And beyond it—
—was everything.
A casino that defied physics.
Endless tables floated in the air, each glowing with different hues. Slot machines roared beside thrones made of credits and crystal. Dealers with halos or horns shuffled cosmic decks. Some gamblers looked human, others had galaxies for eyes.
Above all hung a massive neon sign written in shifting symbols:
WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF ODDS
Where Every Dream Has a Price.
Rex stepped forward slowly, trying not to gawk.
"This place looks like Vegas if God had a mental breakdown."
"Correction," the Dealer said. "Six gods. And three breakdowns."
Holographic attendants glided past, offering drinks that shimmered like liquid luck.
Each table had its own aura — power, greed, hope, desperation.
[System Notice: You have entered the Universal Shop – Public Tier.]
Available Wares:
• Skill Cards
• Artifacts (Basic)
• Beast Contracts (Lesser)
• Bloodlines (D-Class and Below)
Note: Higher Tiers unlock upon Table Rank Advancement.
Rex whistled. "So I can just… buy power?"
"Buy, bet, or steal it," the Dealer said cheerfully. "The House doesn't judge — it collects."
Rex wandered toward a counter made of glass dice. A clerk stood there — a girl who looked about his age, with violet eyes and silver hair that shimmered like moonlight. Her nametag read: Lia – Assistant Dealer.
She smiled mechanically. "Welcome, new registrant. Name?"
"Rex."
Her gaze flickered with faint surprise. "...Player 001?"
Rex blinked. "Is that supposed to mean something?"
Before she could answer, someone behind him scoffed.
"Oh, this should be rich."
Rex turned. A man leaned casually against a glowing slot machine, his coat stitched with red dice. His smile was sharp, his eyes glimmering with arrogance.
"Name's Kane," he said. "Table Two — Silver Stakeholder." He looked Rex up and down. "Unranked rookie, huh? The House must be desperate for entertainment."
Rex grinned. "And you must be the tutorial boss I'm supposed to hate."
Lia stifled a laugh. Kane's smile faltered just enough to show a crack.
"Careful, wildcard," Kane said. "Mock the wrong player, and you might find your luck revoked."
"Trust me," Rex said, stepping closer, "luck and I have an open relationship."
The Dealer's voice purred. "Rex, do not start a fight in the lobby. The House frowns on violence."
"Relax," Rex murmured. "I'm just being friendly."
[Notification: Player 'Kane' has issued a social wager.]
Bet: Humiliation.
Challenge: Compete in a Luck Draw for 10 Fate Points.
Reward: Winner gains Fate and public recognition.
Audience: Open.
Around them, holograms flickered to life — gamblers pausing their games to watch.
Rex cracked his neck. "You want a show? Fine."
Kane grinned, pulling out two cards. "Pick one. One's empty, one's gold."
Rex smirked. "You sure you want to risk it?"
"Don't tell me you're scared already."
"Scared?" Rex's grin widened. "No. I just don't like wasting a good crowd."
He pointed at the left card. "That one."
Kane turned it with a flourish —
Gold.
The crowd gasped. The House chimed.
[Victory: Rex (Unranked) – Social Wager Success.]
+10 Fate Points.
House Recognition: +1.]
Kane stared at the card, dumbfounded. "Impossible…"
Rex winked. "Never bet against a man who's already dead."
The crowd roared with laughter. Even Lia smiled — a real one this time.
The Dealer chuckled softly in his mind. "Oh, Rex… the House is already watching you."
Somewhere high above, unseen eyes opened behind the neon lights.
A single voice whispered through the cosmic noise:
"Wildcard detected."