The city of Sayo never slept, but Kael found himself in a shadowed casino tucked between narrow alleys, lanterns flickering, runes pulsing faintly along the walls. A Dajin gambler, massive and wiry, leaned over a blackjack table with eyes like molten gold. His grin stretched unnaturally. "Storm Dragon, eh? I hear you've been winning everything in sight. Care to risk something real?" Kael raised an eyebrow, fingers brushing the hilt of his lightning-infused sword. "Depends. How real?"
The Dajin laughed, tossing a bag of gold onto the table. "Money, reputation… maybe a little power, if you're feeling bold." Loki floated beside Kael, sparks crackling conspiratorially. "Master, I can assist," he whispered. "Subtle manipulations of probability, card memorization, slight elemental influence. We'll make this very interesting." Kael smirked. "Do it."
The game began. Cards slid across the table, chips clattering, the Dajin confident, his golden eyes calculating. Kael played calmly, letting Loki guide subtle shuffles, slightly bending chance, manipulating the deck just enough to stay ahead without anyone noticing. Fjorn hissed in excitement, circling Ylva, frost curling around her wings. "Even at reduced power, the strategy is flawless. He's unbeatable in this format."
The rounds escalated. The Dajin grew frustrated as his stacks of gold dwindled. "Impossible! My luck… my system…" He slammed his fists on the table, cards scattering slightly from the shock. Kael didn't flinch. "Your luck ran out. That's all." With Loki's assistance, Kael forced the Dajin to keep raising stakes, eventually betting not just money, but his own power in a desperate attempt to recover. "My power… I can't lose this!" the Dajin hissed.
By the final hand, the Dajin had wagered everything—gold, coins, minor abilities, and fragments of his core essence. Kael's hand was steady, Loki whispering subtle instructions. The last card hit the table. Blackjack. The Dajin's eyes widened as he realized he had lost everything, collapsing in a mixture of fury and disbelief. Loki floated triumphantly beside Kael. "Master… all assets acquired. Probability optimization was flawless."
Kael collected the winnings, pockets heavy with gold and the faint hum of absorbed power. Fjorn flitted around excitedly. "Our master… supreme as always." Ylva smiled faintly, frost curling from her shoulders. "Even at ten percent, I feel the energy shift. He grows stronger with every encounter."
Kael left the casino, the hum of gold and power in his veins. "Time to set my sights elsewhere," he muttered, walking to the docks. The wind tugged at his coat, wings flicking involuntarily. "I've got enough for a boat… and enough ambition for a crew. No more deckhand nonsense." Loki hovered beside him, sparks dancing. "Master, you intend to become captain?" Kael smirked, eyes on the horizon where ships rocked gently against the pier. "Yes. And nothing will stop me—not gold, not Dajin, not anyone."
Above, Fjorn hissed softly, wings fluttering. "The Storm Dragon's path widens. Adventure calls."
As Kael examined the docks, a faint shadow moved along the water—another Dajin, one with far greater hunger and cunning than any he had faced yet. It smiled, eyes glinting. "So… you think you've won? Let's see how much of a Storm Dragon you really are."