Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Devil's Gamble - Rules (8)
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“…Let’s start again.”
As the newbie calmly opened his mouth, the Dealer’s hand twitched subtly.
However, the other masks breathed out nonchalantly and began exchanging words with each other.
The Rooster Mask snorted at the Pig Mask.
“You idiot. I knew you’d cave to your greed.”
The Ox Mask rubbed his chin and added flatly.
“…Still, we’ve got a rough idea of what kind of guy the newbie is. That’s something.”
The Donkey Mask shrugged his shoulders.
“It was pretty pricey for free info, though.”
Finally, the Pig Mask muttered lowly.
“It was something that’d be nice if it worked out, but no big deal if it didn’t!”
As the Dealer began shuffling the cards and the game started, the masks’ eyes changed.
Rooster Mask.
Ox Mask.
Donkey Mask.
Pig Mask.
No matter how skilled they were at gambling, the reason they’d held this table for decades wasn’t just pure skill.
As the cards were dealt, the backs of the cards hitting the felt made a heavy sound.
The masks extended their fingertips one by one to check their cards.
A single trembling motion of the fingers, a faint smile at the lips—it all spoke volumes about their hands.
The four masks, who had been in sync for years, glanced at each other without a word.
One look was enough.
The next moment—
“Raise.”
“Raise.”
“Raise.”
Voices erupted almost simultaneously in succession.
The echoes overlapped, pounding the air in the hall.
Clink—!
Clink—!
Chips poured in from three sides, flooding the center of the table.
The clashing metal rang in their ears.
The pot swelled like a snowball in the blink of an eye.
My options were only two.
Call.
Or fold.
If I called, I’d have to match the pot doubled by their raises.
If I folded, I’d lose my initial bet but escape immediate danger.
By now, I could read their animal masks’ strategy.
They’d raise in turns every time they had a good hand.
The pot would skyrocket naturally.
And I’d be forced to follow along.
This casino’s rules didn’t prohibit teamwork.
Clink—
Clink—
Several hands passed.
The sound of chips slipping from my grasp rang especially loud.
The chips piling up on the table grew, while mine dwindled.
The Rooster Mask flashed a thin smile.
The Ox Mask shoved in a heavy stack of chips.
The Donkey Mask snorted, tilting his head back as if it was already over.
I stared down at my cards expressionlessly.
The pot soared, their gazes pressing down on me.
Their intent was clear.
“Squeeze him dry, right to the bottom.”
Clink—
That sound lingered in my ears like a heartbeat.
The air around us declared the game already over.
Then, a voice burst from the seat beside me.
The Rooster Mask chuckled and shook his head.
“You didn’t really think we’d play fair, did you? ...Oh. By the way.”
The Rooster’s gaze turned to the chips on my side of the table.
“You can’t refuse the game. Once the Dealer says ‘bet,’ you’re obligated to join. You know that basic rule, right?”
The Ox Mask slowly crossed his arms and sighed.
“….”
The Donkey Mask snorted and opened his mouth.
“It’s an obvious play, but nothing beats it.”
The Pig Mask spoke last.
“In the end, this is our way. Anyone who thinks we’d play fair is the real fool.”
Short laughs spread from all sides.
The pressure lifted, as if fully released.
To them, this hand was just a ‘game.’
The heavy tension over the table eased, and they leaned back in their chairs with the air of victors.
But knowing didn’t mean I could stop it.
Confirming each other’s hands, building the pot, dragging me into the flow by force.
I had no choice but to follow.
And soon, only a handful of chips remained in front of me.
Clink—
The sound of them sliding from my fingertips echoed in my ears.
…Is this the end?
A chill rose in my chest.
Reaching the 4th floor might have been a pipe dream from the start.
Trapped in their fence, I couldn’t even struggle as I was slowly devoured.
My vision narrowed bit by bit.
The surrounding murmurs faded into distant noise.
Only the metallic gleam scattered on the table stood out.
Like a grave about to swallow me.
Just as my resolve began to break—
The chat window flashed.
[GambleBlack] : There’s a famous saying in gambling.
My frozen gaze locked onto the next line.
[GambleBlack] : As long as you have one chip and one chair, it’s not over.
[GambleBlack] : So, keep your expression neutral.
[GambleBlack] : Don’t lose your posture.
[GambleBlack] : Don’t show the enemy you’re crumbling.
[GambleBlack] : In gambling—
A brief silence passed.
[GambleBlack] : Until the outcome is decided, it’s never truly over.
[GambleBlack] : Are you afraid of losing?
[GambleBlack] : Are you assuming defeat already?
[GambleBlack] : Does that even matter right now?
"..."
[GambleBlack] : The game isn’t over yet. We can settle win or loss after your chips hit zero.
[GambleBlack] : A gambler is someone who believes in ‘victory’ more firmly than anyone—especially in themselves.
At that moment, the pressure squeezing my chest subtly dispersed.
I picked up my remaining chips and slowly exhaled.
At some point, I’d lost my composure.
My vision had narrowed and constricted.
I thought I was maintaining calm indifference.
But after repeated losses, my initial resolve had wavered.
Anxiety and unease.
But—
Just as GambleBlack said.
I needed to be certain of victory.
Only I did.
I straightened my slightly slouched posture.
My fingertips calmly gripped the remaining chips.
I erased the loser’s aura from my eyes.
My scattered breaths steadied, my wavering vision refocused.
Only a handful of chips left, the situation hopeless.
In that case, having so little left could be my weapon.
Nothing more to lose.
I slowly gripped my remaining chips.
My fingertips no longer trembled.
The crumbling tension turned into cool focus.
Poker wasn’t a game led by composure alone.
What mattered most—
Was refusing to lose.
The will to endure until the very last moment.
My mind cleared of all clutter.
What I held now was the minimum stake to play this gamble.
Then I had only one move.
Time to pull out the tactic from the 2nd floor.
This time, with a slightly different meaning.
I raised my head and declared calmly.
“All-in.”
*When you have almost no chips left, going all-in means betting everything instead of raising or calling.
*It’s also used to pressure opponents when you have a lot.
I moved my hand, pushing all my remaining chips to the table.
Clink—
A cruelly light sound.
Yet the echo resounded through the entire hall.
The Donkey Mask burst into mockery.
The Ox Mask tilted his head back and muttered.
The Rooster Mask clicked his tongue, looking down at me.
Eyes that all judged it ‘over.’
I said calmly to the Dealer.
“…Let’s start the game.”
First hand.
The Dealer slowly flipped the cards.
My hand cut through the silence.
—Victory.
In an instant, the Rooster Mask’s lips, about to laugh, froze.
Second hand.
The pot grew massive, and the Ox Mask’s eyes began to waver.
—Victory.
Clink—
Chips surged back toward me.
The heavy sound now struck the others’ hearts.
Third hand.
No one dared mock openly anymore.
Sweat beaded on their fingertips, glinting under the silver lights.
—Victory.
Three consecutive waves.
The air in the hall bent and sank.
Final hand.
They appeared relaxed.
Smiles of those certain of victory.
“Raise.”
“Raise.”
Echoes overlapped, chips piling like mountains on the table.
Clink— Clink—
The hall’s air froze.
After the final raise, the call ended the game.
The Dealer lightly gestured in the air and spoke.
“Please show your hands.”
*Showdown
In an instant, all eyes on the table turned to the cards.
The masks revealed their hands one by one.
All but the one who folded mid-hand.
Full House.
Four of a Kind.
Flush.
Strong hands poured out in sequence.
Joys and sorrows crossed.
The pot on this hand had been enormous.
The table froze in tension.
“….”
I revealed my final card.
A shining pattern.
The most perfect, unbroken combination.
Royal Flush.
Royal Straight Flush.
From the lowest pair to ending the hand with the highest rank.
Silence swallowed the table.
Eyes behind the masks crumbled.
Forms dissolved.
Breaths halted like severed threads, and the mountain of chips poured toward me as if destined.
Clink— Clink—
The entire hall rang.
I slowly let out a long breath.
When I opened my eyes, no opponents remained before me.
Only me, and the golden mountain.
That was all.
