Chapter 188: Stats
I looked at the giant circular roulette wheel floating above the dark green table. The glowing symbols—swords, skulls, flames, shields, and golden crowns—cast a strange, colorful light across the entire grand hall.
Tim let out a terrified squeak behind me. "B-Betting stats?! If we lose, we literally lose our own strength forever?! Is this guy insane?!"
Viora squeezed my hand gently. "Brian, the mana inside that table is heavy. It isn’t just magic... it feels like a living spell. It’s tied directly to his soul."
I nodded slowly. This wasn’t like the King’s table back at the gate.
The Gambler walked over to the opposite side of the twenty-foot table. He placed both of his gloved hands flat on the smooth wooden edge and leaned forward. The silver dragon mask on his face reflected the warm chandelier light.
"Let me explain the rules of the Grand Roulette," the Gambler said, his rich voice echoing through the silent palace. "Each player gets three rounds. In each round, you must stake at least ten percent of your overall stats—Strength, Agility, Mana, and Stamina. You pick a symbol. If the ball lands on your symbol, you gain double the stats you bet, taken directly from my own pool."
"And if it misses?" I asked in a calm, flat voice.
"If it misses," the Gambler chuckled softly, "the table strips those stats from your body and feeds them to me. Furthermore, if you lose all three rounds, your soul remains here as a permanent card dealer for all eternity."
[Scenario Boss Trial Activated: The Grand Roulette of Elaria]
[Rule 1: Stat Wagers are Absolute and Unchangeable once placed.]
[Rule 2: The Gambler cannot alter the physical spin of the wheel.]
[Rule 3: Mind Games and Verbal Declarations are fully permitted.]
I looked at the third rule on the blue screen carefully.
’The Gambler cannot alter the physical spin of the wheel,’ I thought to myself. ’Which means the wheel itself is completely fair. So how does he win? Why is he so confident?’
"I will go first to show you my goodwill," the Gambler said smoothly. He reached into his white suit jacket and pulled out a small, glowing red orb. "I stake 30 points of my own Strength on the Crown symbol."
He dropped the red orb onto the green cloth. The table absorbed the orb instantly, lighting up the Crown section of the wheel with a golden glow.
The Gambler reached out and spun the giant wheel with his right hand.
SPIN!
CLACK-CLACK-CLACK-CLACK!
A heavy silver ball shot out from the center and started rolling rapidly along the outer rim.
We all watched in complete silence as the wheel slowed down.
CLINK.
The silver ball dropped directly into the Crown pocket.
[The Gambler’s Bet: SUCCESSFUL]
[30 Points Returned + 30 Points Bonus]
The red orb shot out of the table and re-entered the Gambler’s chest.
"See?" the Gambler smiled behind his silver dragon mask. "It is a game of pure luck and nerve. Now... who among your paper bag group will step up first?"
Carmilla took a step forward. "I’ll go. I have plenty of stats to spare."
"Wait," I said, holding out my arm to stop her.
"What is it?" she asked, glancing at me through her mask’s eye holes.
"Look at his eyes," I whispered low so only my team could hear. "He didn’t win that spin by luck. And he didn’t cheat the physical wheel either."
"Then how did he hit it?" Tim whispered frantically. "Was it a magic spell?!"
"No," Viora murmured, her head tilting slightly. "When he dropped the red orb onto the table, he whispered a single word under his breath. It was very faint, but I heard it. He said ’Truth’."
I narrowed my eyes. Suddenly, everything clicked in my head.
The system rule clearly said: The Gambler cannot alter the physical spin of the wheel. Mind Games and Verbal Declarations are fully permitted.
It wasn’t a roulette wheel based on physics. It was a roulette wheel based on psychological force and intent.
When a player placed a bet, the table analyzed their mental state. If a player had even a single shred of doubt, hesitation, or fear in their heart, the table’s magical field would automatically repel the silver ball away from their chosen symbol.
The Gambler didn’t need to cheat the wheel. He just needed to make his opponents doubt themselves.
"I see," I said out loud, stepping up to the wooden table. "I’ll take the first turn."
The Gambler’s eyes gleamed behind his silver mask. "Ah, the leader steps forward! A wise decision. What will be your wager, paper bag boy?"
I opened my system interface.
[Current Stats:]
[Strength: 45]
[Agility: 50]
[Mana: 80]
[Stamina: 40]
"I’ll bet 30 points of my Mana," I declared plainly.
Tim screamed in absolute terror. "THIRTY MANA?!"
"The bet is set!" the Gambler laughed, his voice ringing with pure excitement. "30 Mana points! Now, choose your symbol!"
"I pick the Skull," I said.
The Skull symbol was the smallest section on the entire wheel. It occupied less than five percent of the total space.
The Gambler’s smile widened behind his mask. "The Skull? A statistical nightmare! Are you truly certain? If you hesitate for even a fraction of a second, that thirty mana is mine forever!"
He was trying to plant the seed of doubt. He wanted me to think about the risk, to fear losing my stats, to picture myself failing.
"I don’t hesitate," I said deadpan.
A bright blue orb of mana separated from my body and sank into the dark green cloth of the table.
I reached out my hand and gave the giant roulette wheel a strong spin.
SWOOSH!
CLACK-CLACK-CLACK-CLACK-CLACK!
The wheel spun like a colorful blur. The heavy silver ball bounced rapidly across the dividers—Sword, Flame, Shield, Crown, Sword, Flame...
"Look at it spin!" the Gambler taunted, leaning over the table with dark joy in his eyes. "It’s bouncing right past the Skull! You feel that cold sweat on the back of your neck, don’t you? You’re wondering if you made a mistake! You’re realizing that you might become a weak, powerless foolish human!"
Tim grabbed his own hair. "It’s gonna miss! It’s bouncing away!"
Carmilla squeezed her fists tight, her red eyes locked on the ball.
Raymond stood perfectly still behind me, his arms folded neatly, totally unbothered.
I looked directly at the silver dragon mask across the table. My heart rate didn’t speed up by a single beat. My pulse remained completely steady.
The moment that pure, unshakeable thought filled my mind, the magic surrounding the table reacted violently.
The repulsive aura on the Skull section completely vanished.
CLINK!
The heavy silver ball suddenly stopped bouncing, dropping directly into the small black pocket stamped with the Skull symbol.
DING!
[The Player’s Bet: PERFECT SUCCESS!]
[30 Mana Points Returned + 30 Mana Points Bonus (Multiplied x2 for High Risk)]
[+60 Permanent Mana Points Acquired from The Gambler!]
BOOM!
A massive wave of bright blue mana exploded out of the table, shooting straight into my chest!
"AGH!" the Gambler grunted, stumbling backward as a huge chunk of his own magical energy was violently ripped out of his body by the table’s binding rules.
His white suit jacket fluttered wildly as he clutched his chest, his breathing becoming heavy and ragged.
[The Gambler’s Level Reduced: Level 60 -> Level 52]
"I-Impossible..." the Gambler gasped, his voice trembling behind his silver mask. "You... you had zero doubt? How could a human place thirty points of his own soul on a five percent chance without a single trace of fear?!"
I adjusted my brown paper bag casually. "Because it’s just a game."
"YOU..." The Gambler’s eyes turned bloodshot behind his mask. The calm, refined air he had been maintaining completely shattered into pure rage. "You think you’re clever, don’t you?! You think you can read my table?!"
He slammed both of his hands onto the wooden edge, his teeth gritting loud enough for us to hear.
"Round Two!" the Gambler roared, his voice echoing with desperate anger. "I wager 100 points of my remaining Stamina! And I call a DUAL SPIN!"
Tim almost fainted on the spot. "ONE HUNDRED STAMINA?!"
"A Dual Spin?" Carmilla raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"
"It means both players must stake the exact same stat amount on the exact same spin!" the Gambler snarled, his eyes fixed on me like a wild predator. "If I win, I take 100 of your Stamina points! If you win, you take 100 of mine! But here is the catch... WE BOTH MUST CHOOSE OUR SYMBOLS BLINDFOLDED!"
A heavy silence fell over the grand hall.
Blindfolded.
That meant neither player could see where the wheel was stopping. You couldn’t watch the ball, you couldn’t calculate the speed, and you couldn’t time your thoughts. You had to place your absolute faith into pure dark space.
"Brian, no!" Viora said firmly, holding my arm tight. "He is trying to force you into panic. Blindness creates natural fear in humans! He wants your mind to create its own doubt!"
"She’s right, Young Master," Raymond added quietly from behind. "Without visual feedback, the human brain naturally generates uncertainty. The table will feed on that hesitation."
The Gambler laughed maniacally, pulling two thick black silk strips out of his pocket. "What’s the matter, paper bag boy?! Afraid to play in the dark?! Or are you going to forfeit and hand over your soul right now?!"
I looked at Viora. Then I looked at Carmilla, Raymond, and even Tim who was sweating profusely.
Then, I looked down at my brown paper bag.
A small smile formed on my face.
"Vera," I said softly, turning my paper bag toward her. "Hold my hand."
"O-okay," Viora replied without a single second of hesitation, her soft fingers wrapping around my palm instantly.
I grabbed one of the black silk blindfolds and tied it tightly over my brown paper bag, completely blocking out all light.
Across the table, the Gambler tied his blindfold over his silver dragon mask.
"Choose your symbols!" the system voice boomed across the place.
"I choose... THE SWORD!" the Gambler shouted loudly.
"I choose the Flame," I said calmly, my voice steady and quiet.
"LET THE DUAL SPIN BEGIN!"