The cards slid across the table.
Soft.
Precise.
Inevitable.
Tetsuya Kurogane didn't even look at them immediately.
His head was still slightly lowered, his fingers resting against the felt of the table.
"…How did that idiot surpass me…"
His voice was barely audible.
But the tone—
was dangerous.
"…How did he reach A…?"
The dealer hesitated for a fraction of a second before continuing.
Two cards.
Tetsuya lifted them slowly.
Queen.
Jack.
A faint shadow passed over his eyes.
Then—
he looked up.
And the entire table felt it.
That gaze.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Predatory.
Even the dealer swallowed instinctively.
Tetsuya didn't wait.
"Raise."
From the very beginning.
No hesitation.
No need for information.
No need for the flop.
Because this wasn't a hand.
This was control.
Ren's fingers twitched slightly.
His body still hadn't fully recovered.
The echoes of the void still lingered in his mind.
The blood.
The pressure.
The helplessness.
No…
He exhaled slowly.
Not now.
His eyes moved toward Tetsuya.
And immediately—
he understood.
I can't play this.
Not against him.
Not like this.
"…Fold," Ren said quietly.
Tanaka followed instantly.
"…Fold."
Her voice was calm.
But her eyes never left Tetsuya.
Oda adjusted his glasses.
His mind was already running.
Fast.
Precise.
Calculating.
I still have a chance.
His fingers tightened slightly.
Even if he's dangerous… probability is still probability.
His voice came out steadier than he felt.
"…Call."
Mika sat frozen for a moment.
Her breathing was uneven.
Her mind was still fractured from what had happened earlier.
That monster…
Her fingers trembled slightly.
But he's gone now…
She looked up.
Toward Tetsuya.
And froze.
His eyes.
There was something inside them.
Something worse than Shura.
Because Shura was chaos.
But this—
this was control.
Cold.
Deliberate.
Terrifying.
…This thing…
Her thoughts sharpened.
If I can seduce him…
If I can control him…
I can come back.
Her lips parted slightly.
"…Call."
Itsuki leaned forward immediately.
"Oh, Mika—"
His grin twisted.
But before he could continue—
Tetsuya spoke.
Without even looking at him.
"Are you starting again… trash?"
The words cut clean.
Itsuki froze.
His mouth remained slightly open.
"…Maybe… later…" he muttered.
"…Fold."
Kaito exhaled slowly.
Smoke drifted lazily through the air.
"…I'll let you fight it out."
He leaned back slightly.
"…Fold."
Three players remained.
Tetsuya.
Oda.
Mika.
Tanaka leaned slightly toward Ren.
"What do you think will happen?"
Her voice was low.
Careful.
Ren didn't answer immediately.
His eyes were locked on Tetsuya.
"…I don't know."
A pause.
"…but something's wrong."
Oda peeked again at his hand.
A flicker of confidence appeared.
Pocket Aces.
This is it.
His heartbeat accelerated slightly.
Even against him…
This is strong.
Mika glanced at her cards.
Her hand wasn't perfect.
But it was enough.
I just need one opening…
The dealer placed the flop.
J.
Q.
Ren's eyes widened slightly.
…That's perfect for him.
Tetsuya didn't react.
Not even slightly.
"…Raise."
Again.
Effortless.
Mika swallowed.
Her mind raced.
Now.
She slowly reached toward her shirt.
Two buttons.
Loosened.
Her fingers moved with practiced precision.
"…Hey, Tetsuya…"
Her voice softened.
"…you seem a bit tense."
A faint smile.
"…maybe something would help…"
Her hand moved toward her hair.
Elastic ready.
A gesture.
A signal.
Control.
Seduction.
Desperation.
Tetsuya looked at her.
Just once.
No emotion.
No reaction.
Just—
acknowledgment.
And then—
it began.
Mika's vision shattered.
The table disappeared.
The lights vanished.
She stood somewhere else.
A colosseum.
Massive.
Endless.
Dark.
The ground beneath her feet was soaked.
Wet.
Sticky.
She looked down.
Blood.
Everywhere.
A sound echoed.
Heavy.
Metal.
She turned—
And saw him.
Tetsuya.
But not as he was.
As something else.
A gladiator.
Armored.
Towering.
Unstoppable.
He stepped forward.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Mika tried to move.
She couldn't.
Her body froze.
And then—
pain.
Sudden.
Violent.
Her vision exploded.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Different deaths.
Different executions.
Different endings.
Each one worse than the last.
Back at the table—
her body trembled violently.
Oda's world collapsed too.
Darkness.
Cold.
Then—
impact.
A spike through his chest.
He gasped.
Another.
Through his throat.
Another.
Through his side.
He fell.
The ground disappeared beneath him.
A blade.
A guillotine.
Falling.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Infinite scenarios.
Infinite endings.
No escape.
Back at the table—
his hands shook uncontrollably.
Kaito exhaled slowly.
"…They don't stand a chance, do they?"
Ren didn't look away.
"…No."
Inside the illusion—
the gladiator stood before them.
Watching.
Waiting.
Then—
he spoke.
Not with words.
But with certainty.
Follow me.
And the pain stops.
Mika collapsed to her knees.
Oda trembled.
They couldn't take it.
Couldn't endure it.
They nodded.
Without thinking.
Without resisting.
Back at the table—
their hands moved.
Chips pushed forward.
Call.
Raise.
Call.
All-in.
The pot grew rapidly.
Out of control.
Tetsuya didn't move.
Didn't react.
Didn't hesitate.
Because this—
was already over.
The final cards fell.
J.
Q.
K.
J.
Tetsuya turned his hand.
Full house.
No emotion.
No satisfaction.
Just inevitability.
The dealer pushed the pot toward him.
"…Winner. Tetsuya Kurogane."
Mika and Oda snapped back to reality.
Both gasped.
Air rushed into their lungs.
Their bodies shook.
"…I… can't…" Mika whispered.
Her voice broke.
"I don't want to play anymore…"
No one answered.
No one moved.
The screen lit up.
MIKA FUJISAWA – ELIMINATED
She looked at it.
And for the first time—
she smiled.
Weak.
Broken.
"…Finally…"
She stood up slowly.
Her legs trembled.
She looked at the table.
Then at Tetsuya.
"…You're not human."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
Then she turned—
and left.
Another message appeared.
KENSHIN ODA – EXPONENTIAL DECAY – ELIMINATEDWIN PROBABILITY: BELOW 1%
Oda adjusted his glasses.
Calm.
"…I expected that."
He exhaled softly.
"…0.43%."
The others looked at him.
Confused.
"But I still had chips—"
"It doesn't matter," Oda said quietly.
"Probabilities don't lie."
A pause.
Then he looked at Tetsuya.
"…I'm just glad…"
"…it's over."
He stood.
And left.
Silence.
Then—
the screen changed again.
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
TETSUYA KUROGANE
A pause.
Then—
NEW RANK: A-
The word lingered.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Incomplete.
Tetsuya stared at it.
"…Minus…?"
His voice dropped.
Low.
Dangerous.
Not satisfaction.
Not pride.