The storm was alive.
Not metaphorically.
Every lightning bolt was a roll of dice. Every raindrop, a flipped card. The city trembled beneath a roulette sky that decided life and death with every spin.
Lia's voice cut through the chaos. "The Sky Dealer is a Probability Wraith — it feeds on impossible wagers. The longer this Gambit goes, the worse your odds!"
Rex grinned against the wind. "Then I guess I'll win faster."
He snapped his fingers. The system shimmered.
A holographic HUD appeared:
[Wager Registered]
Opponent: The Sky Dealer
Stakes: Rex's Next Reincarnation vs. Daniel's City
Game Type: Roulette of Realities
Objective: Beat the Dealer's number three times before collapse.
Warning: Loss will trigger soul foreclosure.
"Foreclosure?" Rex asked. "That sounds uncomfortably financial."
"Meaning your soul gets repossessed," Lia said flatly.
Rex rolled his neck. "Neat. Haven't had that happen since college."
🎲 1
The wheel spun in the heavens — fire, ice, and lightning whirling together.
A number burned into existence: 13.
The Sky Dealer's voice boomed: "Unlucky."
Rex shrugged. "Only if you can count."
He flipped his own card. It shimmered — 13.
The Wraith froze.
"Impossible!"
Rex smirked. "Statistically improbable. Not impossible. Learn the difference."
A spark of golden Recognition flared across his interface.
+3 Recognition Points
[Wildcard Bonus Activated]
Lia blinked. "You matched a cosmic probability ghost on the first spin."
He gave her a sideways glance. "Beginner's luck?"
"You don't have beginner's luck. You have suicidal timing."
🎲 2
The storm deepened. Reality cracked like glass.
This time, the Sky Dealer multiplied itself — ten faces laughing in unison. "Try your luck, mortal!"
The roulette burned through thousands of numbers at once.
Rex didn't move. He just tossed a single chip into the air.
It split into infinite reflections, every copy landing on a different number — then all merging on one.
7.
Every reflection in the storm froze.
Lia whispered, "You bent probability—"
Rex cracked his knuckles. "Just massaged the odds a little."
+10 Recognition Points
Skill Fragment Unlocked: [Fate Bender – Tier 0]
The Sky Dealer roared, ripping through the sky. "You cheat!"
Rex smiled. "That's what gamblers call talent."
🎲 Final
Reality bled color. The world tilted sideways. Lia's image flickered — her projection straining to stay stable.
"Rex! You can't keep matching his odds. The House will notice!"
He grinned. "Good."
"You want the House to notice?!"
He leaned back, golden light swirling in his eyes. "Let them watch. I'm giving them a show."
He threw his final chip upward.
The storm went silent.
Everything — thunder, wind, time — held its breath.
The roulette stopped spinning.
It landed on Zero.
The House itself chimed.
[Result: Wildcard Wins]
Reward: +15 Recognition Points | +25 Fate Points
World Stabilization: 87%
Emotional Link Created: Lia → Rex [Curiosity, 23%]
The Sky Dealer screamed as its form unraveled into cards and smoke.
Rex caught one card before it vanished — a joker with a gold crown.
He twirled it between his fingers, smirking. "Told you I don't lose twice."
The city began knitting itself back together — time reversing, chaos fading.
Lia floated down beside him, her expression a mix of disbelief and reluctant admiration. "You just out-gambled a god on your first trial."
He looked at her, dead serious. "Correction: I entertained a god."
She blinked. "There's a difference?"
"Yeah. One ends the game, the other makes them invite you back."
Somewhere above, in the highest Table, The Dealer watched the feed replay, eyes gleaming with dangerous amusement.
"Wildcard trajectory — still unstable," he murmured.
Then, smiling like a devil who'd just found his favorite sinner:
"Good."