The Apocalypse Arrives
The inaugural issue of the weekly magazine Gambler was more than enough to set the imperial capital ablaze. The cover featured a single girl. In the magically printed photograph, a short-haired girl with a youthful face stared straight ahead with an indifferent expression. Behind her, an intricate and ornate Ace of Spades pattern spread out like a massive halo. Below it, the title was written in concise yet intense cursive script.
『The Genius Who Descended into Darkness. Apocalypse, Erika Cage』
A player who had appeared like a comet. With the preliminary rounds of the 1st Far East Maritime Province Grand Duke Cup Texas Hold'em Tournament in full swing, the hottest topic was undoubtedly one girl.
Commoner origin. Imperial Academy student. Erika Cage.
The nickname attached to her was Apocalypse. It came from her playstyle—reading her opponents' hands as if receiving divine revelation and dominating the table. Because she was young, beautiful, and even a commoner, her initial Toto odds had been absurdly high. But she laughed in the face of everyone's expectations, crushing the preliminaries with overwhelming skill. The few who had boldly bet on her victory had amassed enormous wealth overnight.
She was no longer a mere dark horse. She was now one of the strongest favorites to win and the biggest star player driving the tournament's popularity.
Interviewer: Do you remember the first time you met Miss Erika Cage?
Victoria: Of course I do, hawa! It was in an old club room at the Academy. Everyone treated her like just some 'commoner girl obsessed with card games,' but I knew from the very first glance, wa! That this child was the real deal! Those eyes! That cold gaze that seemed to pierce right through the table... Ah, it's nothing. Ohohohoho!
Interviewer: What do you think of Miss Cage's chances of winning?
Victoria: Chances? How could you say something so disappointing! Miss Cage is going to win, wa! She is... the strongest in the entire Empire! I even bet my entire future dowry on her! Every last penny! I believe in you, Miss Cage!
After several days of long travel, the journey finally ended with a dull scraping sound. Erika opened her eyes at the announcement broadcast, stretched her stiff body, and looked out the window.
Vladivostok, the capital of the Far East Maritime Province. The station was smaller and more worn-down than she had expected. Yet the energy of the people filling the platform burned hotter than anywhere in the capital.
“This way, please.”
The moment they stepped off the train, a uniformed guide approached and bowed politely. Other passengers were also being led away one by one by their assigned guides, heading to their respective destinations as if by prior arrangement.
When they climbed into the carriage provided by His Highness Grand Duke Mikhail, the outside noise vanished like a lie. The complete absence of any shaking as it moved forward suggested it was quite a high-end vehicle.
Erika stared indifferently at the scenery passing by the window. Dilapidated wooden buildings, with the occasional stone structure visible between them. It was a typical frontier city—far more backward than the capital.
But the moment the carriage left the city center and crested a hill, the view changed completely.
“Oh my god.”
A gasp slipped from Victoria’s lips. Even Erika’s eyes widened ever so slightly.
What lay before them was a massive city. No—it was closer to one enormous fortress. At its center stood a bizarrely ornate building. That had to be the casino. And surrounding the casino like castle walls were enormous gray structures.
There were no arches that such massive buildings should have had. Only straight lines and flat surfaces formed their monotonous outer walls. Yet the overwhelming gray enormity was enough to make anyone who saw it feel small.
It was an architectural style Erika had never seen before in her life.
“Guide, what exactly are those buildings?” Victoria asked, unable to hold back, turning to the guide seated beside the driver.
“They are built with something called concrete, my lady,” the guide replied, turning around. “His Highness Mikhail specially commissioned the Alchemist Guild to develop this new construction material.”
There was a hint of pride in his voice. He didn’t go into detail, but since both Victoria and Erika were seeing this style of architecture for the first time, a rough explanation was enough to satisfy their curiosity.
“Those buildings are luxury accommodations—resorts—for the players participating in this tournament and their companions. You two are also the very first guests.”
“Oh my, the first guests! How wonderful!”
Victoria exclaimed in genuine admiration and grabbed Erika’s hand.
“Isn’t it amazing, Miss Cage?”
“Uh, yeah. It’s pretty impressive.”
Erika answered half-heartedly, staring once more at the gray buildings outside the window. They looked like structures that existed purely for function. Not a single aesthetic element could be found, yet for some strange reason, she couldn’t look away.
The carriage finally stopped in front of the enormous resort building. A great number of staff stood lined up at the entrance to welcome them.
“This way, please.”
Following the guide, Erika and Victoria stepped down from the carriage. Victoria still hadn’t let go of Erika’s hand. Her maids followed silently behind them.
The guide led them to the resort’s top floor, the most luxurious suite room.
“We will do our utmost to ensure you have no discomfort during your stay.”
The guide bowed politely and withdrew. Once the door closed, only the two of them and the maids remained in the room.
Only then did Victoria release Erika’s hand and begin looking around the room with childlike excitement.
“Goodness, Miss Cage! Look at this! It’s even better than any hotel in the capital, wa!”
Leaving Victoria’s fussing behind, Erika walked over to the massive floor-to-ceiling window. From there, she could see the enormous casino and other buildings still under construction at a glance. Beyond them stretched the dark blue sea into the distance.
The sound of cold wind knocking against the glass seemed to reach her ears.
Erika fiddled with the old deck of cards in her pocket.
The hall of the casino where the tournament finals would be held resembled a massive coliseum. Twenty green-felt poker tables were arranged in a circle around a large empty central space. The surrounding spectator seats were already packed with the Empire’s most prominent figures, seething with invisible heat and greed.
Amid the murmuring waves of noise, Mikhail stepped up onto the podium.
“Ahem.”
With a single clearing of his throat, he drew every eye in the hall to himself.
“First, as the owner of the Far East Maritime Province and the host of this tournament, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and welcome to the 199 players who have traveled such a long way to be here.”
His voice was as languid and low as usual, but thanks to the brass speaking trumpet enchanted with amplification magic, it rang out clearly into every corner of the hall.
“On your shoulders rest the dreams, hopes, and—most importantly—a truly staggering amount of money from countless people. So I can only ask that you give it your absolute best.”
A mischievous smile tugged at the corner of Mikhail’s mouth.
“Because if anyone slacks off… and gets caught, well, a bullet might come flying from somewhere, or a knife might end up in your back. And if you’re really unlucky, you might even get hit by magic.”
Giggles erupted from various spots in the audience. Erika didn’t find the joke funny at all, but Victoria was shaking her shoulders with laughter as if it were the funniest thing in the world.
“And as previously announced, I will also be participating in this tournament. So you’d all better steel yourselves. I happen to be pretty good at this game.”
Mikhail paused for a moment, slowly scanning the players’ seats.
“That said… if there’s anyone here thinking of throwing the match just because I’m a prince and trying to butter me up—”
His eyes gleamed coldly.
“I will personally charge you with insulting the imperial family and make sure you spend the rest of your life catching crabs in the Far East Maritime Province. Just so you know.”
Whoa-ha-ha! This time everyone burst into loud laughter. By now, they all knew he was more than capable of actually doing it.
“Alright then. Let’s all follow the rules and etiquette and enjoy some good games.”
Finishing his speech, Mikhail gave a casual wave of his hand, stepped down from the stage amid thunderous applause, and received a standing ovation.
Immediately afterward, the table draw began. It seemed they were using the same device they had used for the gacha draws.
Erika watched the scene with an indifferent expression. Beside her, Victoria still had her arms crossed and couldn’t hide her excitement, chattering nonstop.
“Miss Cage, Miss Cage! Aren’t you nervous? My heart feels like it’s about to explode, wa!”
It was noisy. But strangely, it wasn’t unpleasant. She had grown used to it over the past four days.
Until the tournament finals began, she had been dragged around by Victoria, forced to experience every corner of this massive resort. The bed so soft it felt like lying on a cloud. The crab dishes that melted in your mouth and the caviar with its popping texture. And every night at the bar, the countless varieties of cocktails.
The one called a Manhattan had left a particularly strong impression.
“Why is it called Manhattan?”
When she couldn’t hold back her curiosity and asked the bartender, he had simply shrugged.
“I’m not entirely sure myself. His Highness Mikhail named it himself.”
All things considered, it hadn’t been bad. No—it had been excellent. Everything had been close to perfect.
But to her, all of it had felt like nothing more than a dream.
Because reality only existed on the table.
“Miss Erika Cage! Please proceed with the draw!”
At the guide’s call, Erika snapped out of her thoughts. The number on the ball that came out after turning the handle was 13. Table 13. Her name was written on the board.
Without realizing it, she searched the board for Mikhail’s name.
Mikhail, Table 7.
She felt a pang of disappointment. She had wanted to play against him.
The organizer of this tournament. The man who had set up this entire stage. She was unbearably curious what kind of player he was.
Whatever.
Erika quickly pulled herself together.
The tables will merge eventually.
As they advanced toward the finals, the surviving players would be consolidated onto fewer and fewer tables. If she just survived until then, she would eventually sit across from him without fail.
Assuming Mikhail was as strong a player as he claimed.
“Miss Cage! Good luck, wa! I’ll be watching without even blinking, so please flatten the noses of those arrogant noblemen for me, wa!”
Leaving Victoria’s loud cheering behind, Erika walked toward Table 13.
Nine players were already seated at the round table. They were all fairly well-known. A famous gambler from the capital, an executive from a massive southern trading company, and even an old priest from some village.
Erika sat down in the empty seat without a word.
A subtle, awkward silence fell as everyone sized each other up. The one who broke that silence was the middle-aged man sitting directly across from her.
He was holding the inaugural issue of Gambler. The very magazine with Erika’s face plastered across the cover.
“Hehe, what an honor.”
The man gave a friendly smile and spoke to Erika.
“To be seated at the same table as the genius who descended into darkness, the ‘Apocalypse’ herself, right from the start. I’m not sure if this is good luck or bad.”
At those words, every eye at the table turned toward Erika. Gazes filled with curiosity, wariness, and a touch of admiration.
To be honest, it was embarrassing.
What the hell was that supposed to mean? The genius who descended into darkness? Fine, she could somehow tolerate that. It was a bit cringy and cheesy, but not completely incomprehensible. After all, she really was a genius. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she had been born for this.
But…
Apocalypse.
That one was truly unacceptable. Every time she heard that nickname, Erika shuddered as memories of her time at the gymnasium came flooding back.
Those immature male students. They had given themselves all sorts of bizarre nicknames and strutted around as if they were some kind of grand medal of honor.
The Inverted Void.
Dark Flame Master.
Just thinking about those names made her cringe so hard her hands and feet curled. And the dumbest one among them had claimed he had been chosen by the lightning spirit and carved a lightning-shaped scar directly onto his forehead with a razor blade. In the end, the wound had gotten infected, swelled up horribly, and he had spent several days groaning in bed. Just remembering that idiot’s face made Erika feel her own cheeks burning with secondhand embarrassment.
Her own nickname felt exactly like that level of stupidity.
If she could, she would have set fire to the magazine company that had given her this nickname. Seriously.
But Erika didn’t show even the slightest hint of it on the outside. She stared straight at the middle-aged man who had called her “Miss Apocalypse” with an expressionless face. Her voice was cold and firm.
“Cage.”
She paused for a moment, then slowly scanned everyone seated at the table.
“Cage is enough.”