Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: 10th Floor (2)
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Time stopped.
The cave's backdrop was as vivid as a framed masterpiece.
A red carpet, a green table. The goddess and the monster sat facing each other.
Tikhe crossed her legs, rested her chin on her hand, and smiled.
Alluring curves peeked out above her beige dress. Smooth legs stretched out from beneath the hem of her skirt.
A decadent beauty that didn't suit the brutal battlefield.
In contrast, Urk-Nar looked cramped.
The human-sized chair was comically small for him.
He squinted his one good eye and glared at Tikhe, looking ready to tear into her at any moment. But he couldn't lift his butt off the seat.
System coercion.
Tak.
Tikhe tapped the table.
"Oh my, big guy. Your eyes are gonna pop out."
She fanned herself with her hand and laughed.
"Don't stare at me so hotly. It's embarrassing."
[...Insolent wench.]
Urk-Nar growled. Killing intent sliced across the table.
The suffocating silence was broken by the dealer.
"Both players have entered."
The dealer, gloved in white, spread out the cards and recited mechanically.
"The game is [Death Baccarat]."
[Death Baccarat]
The dealer snapped his fingers in the air, and a single card materialized as a hologram.
"The rules are simple. Each player gets one card. The one closest to '9' wins."
[So 9 is the highest?]
"Correct. 10, J, Q, K are '0'. Ace is '1'. The rest are face value. Very straightforward, right?"
The dealer seemed about to finish when he wagged his index finger.
"But there's one special rule in this game."
The floating card flipped, revealing a jester grinning grotesquely.
"Joker. Only one in the deck. It wins unconditionally, regardless of the opponent's number."
"Oh, a Joker."
Tikhe licked her lips with interest.
The dealer added the final rule in a dry voice.
"Best of three rounds. The winner of each round gets an attack opportunity. The loser cannot dodge but can defend."
Urk-Nar snorted derisively as he listened.
[Simple. It's just a game of luck.]
"Watch your words, big guy."
Tikhe cut in with a playful smile.
"It's not luck. It's skill. Hehe."
[Hmph, ridiculous.]
Urk-Nar crossed his arms arrogantly. The chair creaked under him.
[I've lived my whole life on the battlefield.
Do you think the 'luck' of this body, which survived countless brushes with death, would lose to some wench?]
"Who knows? Might be a delusion."
As Tikhe leaned forward, her golden eyes flashed bewitchingly.
"You're not lucky. You met me here, didn't you?"
[Wh-what?!]
"Alright, dealer. Deal the cards."
Tikhe ignored Urk-Nar's reaction entirely and gestured at the table with her chin.
"Round 1, begin."
Two cards slid from the dealer's fingertips.
Tikhe flipped hers without hesitation, but Urk-Nar cautiously peeked at his.
Urk-Nar: [8]
The corner of his mouth curled up. [8]. Practically a guaranteed win.
"Open."
The cards flipped at the dealer's call.
Tikhe: [9]
A difference of one.
Urk-Nar's face twisted in disgust.
"Oh dear, so close? Just one short."
[Th-this... this is cheating! A 9 on the first hand?!]
Urk-Nar slammed the table in outrage, but Tikhe scoffed.
"Oh, sweetie, where's the cheating in a sanctuary? You know this is a fair space guaranteed by the system. Why complain?"
[Grrgh...]
"If you're mad, win next time. Hehe."
Tikhe winked lightly and held out her palm.
"Shall we start easy? [Lucky Dice]"
Lucky Dice
Roll: [6]
A golden die summoned in midair tumbled across the table.
The result: [6].
"Ooh, 6? But instant death would be no fun, so try to endure."
Tikhe formed a gun shape with her thumb and index finger, aiming at Urk-Nar's forehead.
"Bang."
Unlike the cute sound effect from her lips, a vicious beam of light erupted from her fingertip.
The straight beam engulfed Urk-Nar.
Boom!
[Grraaah...!]
With the explosion, Urk-Nar raised his arm to block.
His flesh sizzled and smoke rose, but he endured.
[Hmph, is that all your attack amounts to?]
Urk-Nar brushed off his arm and sneered.
He feigned nonchalance, but his brow twitched faintly.
[Pathetic. I overestimated you.]
"Huh? You held up pretty well."
Tikhe propped her chin and grinned.
"Well, yeah. Ending it in one go would be boring. Still two more rounds left."
At that moment, the dealer interjected in his monotone voice.
"Proceeding to Round 2. Dealing cards."
Urk-Nar roughly checked his card the instant it was placed.
His eyes widened, then he burst into mad laughter.
[Kahahaha! Look at this! 9! An unbeatable number! This time I'll smash your skull!]
He tossed his card confidently. [9♦].
Tikhe flipped hers indifferently. [9♠].
"Huh? A tie?"
Tikhe widened her eyes.
Urk-Nar panted but sighed in relief.
[Hmph, a draw. This round passes...]
"No, there is a winner."
The dealer cut him off coldly.
"When numbers tie, suit hierarchy applies."
[What?]
"Per poker rules, Spades [♠] outrank Diamonds [♦]. Therefore..."
The dealer politely indicated Tikhe.
"Tikhe wins."
[Wh-what kind of bullshit is this! A 9 is a 9, suits don't matter!!!]
Urk-Nar raged, but Tikhe looked at him pitifully.
"Different leagues, big guy. Luck has weight classes too, you know?"
[I-impossible...!]
"Even if you fill a cup to the brim, it means nothing before the sea. Whatever I draw beats yours."
Urk-Nar's foot twitched involuntarily, pushing him back.
"Round 2 penalty time."
Tikhe caught the subtle retreat, snapped her fingers, and smiled chillingly.
"Endure this one too?"
Roll.
This time, a 12-sided die. It stopped on [11].
"Oh my, 11."
Tikhe widened her eyes, looked up at the ceiling, and made the sign of the cross.
"This one's gonna hurt."
She elegantly extended her hand toward the air. The ceiling blazed with light, erasing the cave's darkness in an instant.
"Pierce. [Spear of Judgment: Longinus]."
"Pierce."
"[Spear of Judgment: Longinus]"
⟨ Spear of Judgment ⟩
Flash!
The ceiling split, and a spear of light plunged vertically.
Kaboom!
[Kraaaagh!]
The spear pierced his shoulder and embedded in the floor. The smell of burning flesh filled the air amid rising smoke.
"Aw, I aimed for dead center, but it veered off."
Tikhe smacked her lips regretfully and looked down at the writhing Urk-Nar.
"Still hurts a lot, right?"
But Urk-Nar didn't fall.
[Grraaah... ughhh...!]
On his knees, he gripped the spear shaft piercing his shoulder with his right hand.
Sizzle! Crackle!
His palm burned from the holy power, but he didn't care.
[This puny... toothpick...!]
Urk-Nar glared with bloodshot eyes and let out a beastly roar.
[You think this can kill me!!!]
Crunch!
His arm muscles bulged unnaturally.
His hand sizzled as it gripped the spear, but he yanked it out and hurled it away.
Clang!
"Ho ho?"
Tikhe's eyes sparkled with interest.
"Not bad? Thought you'd just melt."
[Grrr... grrr...]
Red steam began rising from Urk-Nar's body.
Like a mortally wounded beast preparing its last stand, his heart thrummed with grotesque sounds, going berserk.
[I'll rip you apart...!!!]
The precursor to frenzy. Reason fled, leaving only murderous intent toward the enemy before him.
Unable to contain his fury, Urk-Nar roared like a beast, leaped over the table toward Tikhe.
His massive hand was about to seize her throat.
Whoosh!
A card thrown by the dealer expanded instantly, blocking Urk-Nar's path.
Thud!
His charge was futilely stopped by the 'card shield.'
Meanwhile, another card transformed into a sharp sword, aimed at his neck.
[All violence is prohibited in Tikhe's Casino.]
[Warning accumulated 2 times. Next violation incurs penalty.]
"Please sit. There will be no next time."
[Grraaah... ugh...!]
Urk-Nar fumed but slammed his butt back into the chair with a thud.
"Oh my, you have to listen to the system."
Tikhe propped her chin and clicked her tongue.
[Shut up and start the next round!!!]
Urk-Nar slammed the table and bellowed, but the dealer didn't flinch, continuing mechanically.
"Proceeding to the final round."
The dealer displayed new rules in midair.
"This round is 'Death Match'.
Winner receives [Attack Power Amp] buff. Loser gets [Defense Reduction] debuff."
The final cards slid from his fingertips.
"Round 3, dealing."
Urk-Nar flipped his card roughly. His mouth split into a manic grin.
[Kahahaha! Yes!]
Urk-Nar snorted confidently.
[The gods haven't abandoned me! This time, I'll ram my blade into your throat!]
"Really?"
Tikhe responded indifferently, without even looking at her card.
"Open."
The cards flipped.
Urk-Nar: [9]
The strongest in baccarat. With three 9s already out, an unbeatable number.
But.
Tikhe: [Joker]
The jester's smile mocked him.
[Wh-what...? Th-this can't...]
Urk-Nar's eyes shook like there was an earthquake.
Three rounds. Two 9s and one Joker.
Swish.
Tikhe rose gracefully from her seat. Her dress fluttered elegantly.
"Did you really think you'd win?"
She looked down coldly.
"No, more like, after seeing all this, you still didn't notice?"
[...?]
"Expected more from a goblin king, but goblins are goblins."
Tikhe shook her head pityingly.
"This is my 'sanctuary'."
A massive halo began shining behind her.
"Dare to speak of luck in my domain?"
Tikhe raised her hand.
"Now, [Lucky Dice]."
Lucky Dice (Triple Roll)
Rolls: [11] [11] [11] (Total: 33)
The air split at her gesture, dice pouring out.
Not one this time.
Three 12-sided dice.
Roll.
They stopped on the table.
[11] [11] [11]
Total 33.
"I'll end you this turn."
Tikhe extended her palm toward Urk-Nar.
"No need to defend. You're dying anyway."
[Deus Ex Machina: Genesis]
"[Deus Ex Machina: Genesis]"
⟨ Deus Ex Machina ⟩
Kabooooom!!!
The world went white.
A dimensional rift opened, primordial light flooding the table.
Divine power crashed mercilessly onto Urk-Nar's flesh.
[Kraaaaaaaaagh!!!]
An overwhelming annihilation that drowned even his scream in light.
Urk-Nar vanished on the spot.