125. Outwitting the Goddess of Pranks
“From now on, I'm going to pull out four skill packs. Two of them will have skill cards inside, and the other two won't. All you have to do is pick the ones with the skill cards. How about it? Pretty simple, right?”
At first glance, it seemed like nothing more than a straightforward 1/2 probability shell game. But Kero added some extra rules.
“Just picking blindly would be no fun. So, I'll allow skill use. For example, you can use a scan skill to peek inside the packs, or even burn one with a fire spell to check. Oh, of course, I'll block or dodge any attacks like that.”
In reality, normal skill packs couldn't be damaged or scanned, but the ones for this bet were special toys Kero had made for fun, so such attacks were fair game.
“Need more explanation?”
“No. I understand.”
And he could guess the intent behind the bet, too.
-Shell game's just an excuse. She wants to trade skills back and forth like some power struggle game.
'Yeah, seems like it. Goddess of Pranks, huh...'
An ancient god, not even level 100 yet, itching for a skill fight with some newbie.
Wasn't that just code for straight-up toying with him?
“Ah, if you need time to think, I can wait a bit lon—”
“Let's do it.”
“For real?”
“Yes. No question.”
Truth be told, whatever Kero's angle was didn't matter one bit.
The moment he heard “skill packs” and “skills allowed,” everything else faded away.
In one word: confidence.
“I'm ready. Start whenever.”
“Uh, okay. Here we go, then.”
She blinked at Carpe's brimming confidence but started the bet without fuss.
Guerrilla Event 'Bet with Kero' has begun!
Snap!
She snapped her fingers, and four empty skill packs materialized in midair.
Then, two skill cards smoothly slipped into the first and third packs.
“Got it? Where I put them? Now I'll shuffle. I'll go slow at first, so keep up.”
Snap!
Kero snapped again, and the four packs began shuffling every which way.
Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.
True to her word, not too fast.
Even a normal person could track them with focus.
But...
“Looks like you've got the hang of it. Speeding up a bit.”
The goddess of pranks wouldn't settle for plain shells.
The moment she finished speaking, the packs shuffled at least three times faster.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh! Whoosh!
And not just that.
Skill cards popped out of packs and darted into others, patterns twisting wildly as they mixed chaotically.
But that wasn't the end.
“Hehe. One last gear shift!”
Cruelly, Kero cranked it up another notch.
Whooshwhooshwhooshwhooshwhoosh!!!
So fast now, it whistled like wind slicing air!
No matter Carpe's dynamic vision, without a high-speed camera, tracking was impossible.
'She meant "just guess" from the start.'
-Whatever. Doesn't change the outcome.
'True.'
Moments later.
The shuffle slowed, then stopped dead.
“There. Done. Keep up? Just pick where the cards are.”
-Whoa. Hear that? Shuffles at warp speed, then "did you keep up?" Her conscience must be about 0.7 Carpe units.
Her beaming smile was infuriating.
But she wouldn't smile long.
Carpe grinned back and spoke.
“Fire Arrow.”
A streak of flame shot from Carpe's hand toward the first pack.
Boom!
But it halted just short, blocked by Kero's shield.
“Hehehe. Close one. Try harder!”
Kero's cheeks flushed with excitement.
How long since she'd had real fun?
800 years sealed away by the dignitaries.
Bored to madness, Carpe was a godsend.
'Slower. Savor it.'
But Carpe crushed that hope spectacularly.
Fire Arrow blocked? He shrugged it off clean.
“Ah, guess skill fights won't cut it. I'll just pick.”
“Uh, huh?”
“First pack. That cool?”
“Wouldn't more tries be better? Could be empty. Nectar is precious even to gods like us. Rare chance—be more careful...”
“Nah. No point. Wasting time. Just picking.”
“...Fine? Then good luck.”
Kero forced a smile, but inwardly she wept blood.
And fumed.
How I'd savored this!
'Hmph. Was gonna give both bottles after three days' fun! But you force my hand—plan B.'
Carpe's pick: first pack.
Which did have a card.
1/2 success.
If she'd sat idle.
Kero secretly triggered a skill.
7-star skill 'Target Transfer'.
Exactly as named: forcibly swaps a target's position.
Shoo.
The card in Carpe's pick transferred elsewhere.
Goddess of pranks and gambling.
She'd never leave it to pure luck!
“Last chance. Sure no more thinking? Once opened, no take-backs. Looks simple, but bound by oath.”
“Yes. Fine.”
You have selected the first skill pack.
By the ancient god's oath, once chosen, the decision cannot be undone.
“...Hmph. I gave you the chance. Don't blame me later.”
Kero pouted and opened Carpe's pick.
Empty, naturally.
“Tough luck. Wrong. Per the deal, you're my worshi—”
“Repeat.”
Repeat activated. Please select a skill pack.
Shloop.
Carpe's skill fired, resealing the opened pack.
“...Wha? What the—?!”
Ancient god's oath... undone?
Unheard of, even for her from primordial times.
Kero gawked, too stunned to react.
Please select a skill pack.
Repeat done, options reappeared before Carpe.
'Phew. Was worried it might not trigger. Glad it worked.'
-Of course. Who gave you that skill? Repeat owes it all to who?
'Cheonma bloodline! Curse of ten thousand demons!'
Carpe casually reached for the second pack.
Kero snapped to, panicking, and fired Transfer again.
“Ah, second's a dud too.”
“Y-yeah. Uh, more than that—what was that skill ju—”
“Repeat.”
Repeat activated. Please select a skill pack.
“What insane nonsense is this?!”
Kero finally yelled.
No third Transfer.
She'd confirmed first and second empty.
Transferring the third would scream “I'm cheating!”
“Ooh, third has one. My win, right?”
“...You're more shameless than I thought. How do you call this a win?”
“Skills allowed, yeah? Didn't break rules.”
“True, but... Sigh.”
Kero sighed deeply, then nodded.
“Fine. Fair win. Here's your prize.”
'Kuhh. This is it.'
-She's nuts. Two bottles? Black sheep goddess!
Watching stakes double instantly, Carpe mused: 'No wonder gambling hooks people.'
'Still, I prefer box smashing or skill pulls. Picking lacks that thrill.'
-...Thrill my ass. Gambling's gambling.
'Rookie who doesn't know "pull" can't get it. Pity you, missing gacha's joy.'
-Don't wanna know.
As Carpe lectured Cheonma on gacha theory, composed Kero spoke.
“Oh, right. Haven't heard your name. Mind sharing?”
“Carpe.”
“Nice name, Carpe. One question okay?”
“The repeat pick?”
“Yeah. No brag, but I've lived eons. Never heard of such a skill.”
No surprise.
Repeat: RaSe's first, Carpe-exclusive 0-star skill.
“How'd you defy a god's oath? No conditions? Penalty? You might not feel it, but that's beyond even creator gods.”
“...Dunno? Don't really know how it works.”
Carpe wanted to know more.
Unlock and Repeat. Unravel them, endless uses.
“Huh. Hmm. Well then...”
Kero muttered, then smiled warmly.
“Decided. Carpe. Fancy being my apostle?”
“...Wasn't that off the table if I won?”
“Huh? Oh, no. That was play-acting worshiper. This is apostle.”
“Apostle?”
“Yeah. God's proxy, not mere follower.”
And then, a window popped up.
“...Epic hidden job change?”
The 10-Star Player's Lucky Draw