Chapter 167: Life

Life is like a coin toss.

The odds are always fifty-fifty.

Life is like poker.

You can only play the hand you're dealt.

Life is like roulette.

Sometimes, the one who bets big wins.

Life is like blackjack.

Getting greedy leads to painful consequences.

Or perhaps...

Life sometimes feels like a slot machine.

What matters isn't how many times you win, but your final balance.

▼

Here stands a girl who has forsaken her name.

A young woman grievously wounded by a relentless pursuer, on the brink of total collapse.

Yet her focus lies not on the immediate peril before her, but on the inner conflict within.

— I’ve been manipulated, just like that.

The part of her mind that governs melancholy and unease whispers this.

— Friendship is ultimately nothing more than an illusion.

—In the end, human relationships are nothing but whether they suit the other person’s convenience or not.

—You’ll surely be used to your advantage, just like that.

Yes, the girl’s inner darkness whispers this again and again.

As those “walking corpses” strut about freely, one truth becomes clear.

In the end... it’s safest and most efficient to live entirely alone.

That’s why, in truth, the right thing would be to just give up everything and leave this place behind.

But why is it...

Right now, she felt surprisingly clear-headed, more so than she’d ever been before.

She could firmly believe she wasn’t wrong.

Even if she were to die here.

Perhaps, she was finally starting to like herself again—after a long time.

――In truth... she probably doesn't need my power anymore.

The "Gambling Master" understood that perfectly.

That's why he spoke about Hanezuki Saya.

He was certain that even if she rejected him with an official letter of severance, he could still finish his work here without a problem.

――But no, that's not it.

It's not about that, surely.

It's about connections between people.

Not something spun with a purpose in mind.

▼

"Hey, idiot."

From beyond the swirling dust, the boy—Tam—called out.

"Wha...?"

"You can't beat me. You don't have the strength to fight."

"Oh, really?"

That struck him as odd.

He was pretty sure this guy hadn't learned the *Skill Assessment* ability yet.

—Wait a minute… could it be that…?

Somebody out there must know about our abilities and be giving orders like, "Take care of the 'Gambling Master'—you're the one who can handle it."

If that's the case, they might not be as thrown off as we expected.

The Gambling Master slid both coin pouches at her waist, just like a pair of revolvers.

Jingle—small coins clinked inside, and the girl seemed to relax slightly.

A sufficient number of bullets. It all depends on the skill of the user.

"If you surrender, I'll let you live. If not, I'll kill you."

"Huh, how kind of you. Are you gonna save me?"

"...What will you do?"

The boy showed no change in expression, like a mask.

Or perhaps he was hesitating to attack someone his own age.

But then—

"Sorry, but I'm not going to surrender to someone like you."

"What...?!"

"Allow me to make this clear while I'm at it. I'm planning to capture you completely unharmed—perfectly intact."

Whatever his confidence, the "gambler" thought, bluffing like this costs nothing.

"………………hm"

Then once again, the silhouette of "Tama" began to fade away.

This time, it was clearly the moment he'd finally make his move.

"Even a brat like you should understand what I'm saying— I'm going easy on you."

"………………!"

The boy's shadow soared through the sky.

Almost exactly as expected, "Tama" made a rash move, losing her composure.

Coming to fight head-on in a narrow, maze-like alleyway, not a surprise attack.

—That's why kids are so easy to deal with.

The gambler began by pulling out about seven one-yen coins from his money pouch and tossing them (in her perception) at a rather slow pace.

The aluminum bullet, glowing red-hot in her palm, shot toward the "Tama" mark like a shotgun blast.

"———Hmph!"

But the boy dodged it with what seemed like superhuman reflexes.

To describe his movement—combining both Speed V and Evasion V—perhaps it was like a rubber ball violently slammed into the ground and instantly rebounding.

It was a motion that seemed to ignore gravity altogether.

Piyu♪ — the "Gambler" whistles.

To any normal person, that sight alone would likely extinguish their will to fight.

But the "Gambler" knows full well that the boy before him possesses nowhere near the power of the "Warrior." He knows the boy's short sword lacks any deadly force.

Compared to that girl, the boy before him was nothing but a kitten.

"——Die,"

the words that would follow.

By the time he realized it, "Tama's" precise strike had already reached the throat of the "Gambling Master."

Upon closer inspection, the blade was stained a sickly purple.

Likely the effect of some skill like "Deadly Poison Blade."

Even as the "Gambling Master" saw the knife aimed at his fatal spot, he had already completed his countermove.

There are several ways to come out ahead in this situation—

—Why not try that one…?

"Stop it."

Meeting his gaze directly.

Clearly.

Leaving no room for argument.

The "Gambling Master" activates his "Negotiation Skill."

"Ugh!"

In an instant, "Tama's" knife froze mid-motion, completely immobilized.

You're only getting caught by such petty tricks because you're not fighting with your own will, you brat.

Stepping back from the short sword's reach, lightly pushing the boy aside.

"Enough with solving everything through violence....We can move forward with better methods, can't we?...Isn't that right?"

"W-what...?...?"

There's still room for negotiation.

The "Gambling Master" pulls out a single gold coin.

And then,

"——《Coin Toss》"

He flicked it with his thumb.

Kiiii—nnn, a pleasing sound echoed through the narrow alleyway.

"W-what... are you doing?... You've been like this since earlier..."

By attempting to communicate with the target he was supposed to kill, the assassin was already trapped in the master's scheme.

"The winner of the bet gets to take temporarily whatever they desire from the loser. Simple, right?"

"……e, ……"

"Accept it? This bet."

With a provocative tone, the boy stepped back, his expression twisted in confusion.

"Wh-what on earth... are you...?"

"The loser becomes the winner's 'companion.' It's a pain for me to deal with numbers alone. I'd like you to help out too."

"Tama" couldn't tear his eyes away from the coin hidden on the palm of the girl in front of him.

"Heads or tails... Answer me, little kitten."

"………………uuu…"

"You don't have to answer, but wouldn't it be better if you did?"

"………………………u, uuu…"

"If you're lucky, you can turn the enemy into an ally without a scratch."

"g, uuuuuu…"

"You don't really want to fight, do you?"

The tip of the knife lowers.

The boy's face twists in agony.

——It's working, it's working.

Keeping back a laugh from within.

He could feel the murderous intent radiating from "Tama" gradually dissipating.

The boy was completely under the control of the "Gambler."

Of course, he probably realized it himself.

But... that's the terrifying thing about gambling—knowing it's wrong, yet being unable to stop.

"You can sense it intuitively, can't you? The game of 'Coin Toss' is strict."

The odds are purely one in two.

A battle without any buffs from "Luck" or "Deception."

Yet strangely, the vision floating in the gambler's mind is focused on just one thing.

—Win.

—Win and contribute to the team.

"G-guh, u, u, uuuuuu… w-what should I do, 'Pochi'…?"

"No one's coming to help. You have to decide for yourself."

"Tama" was drenched in sweat, and then,

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! I-I choose tails!"

He screamed as if squeezing the words out.

"The correct answer is... HAH! Sorry. It was heads."

In an instant, "Tama" bounced back up like a rubber ball.

But this time, there was no trace of offensive intent.

Some primal instinct told him he had to escape from here immediately—driving him forward.

Of course, it was already too late.

"...Uuuuu..."

The boy’s movements grew slower as he ran through the alley… and then suddenly collapsed in place with a dull thud.

To the “Gambler,” his figure looked as though he were already trapped by the grim reaper.

"Remember this—being a 'Gambler' means slipping into the cracks of one’s heart."

Then, her expression shifted completely, and she smiled warmly, like a mother.

"Anyway, let’s get started—time to remove the poison you just ingested."

“U-uh, damn it….”

Even as he cursed, the boy was honest.

Unblocking the [Poison Blade] technique, he pulled something from his pocket.

It was likely an antidote, perhaps one smuggled into a commercially sold nutritional drink.

“Huh. I thought ‘Antidote Technique’ would be some kind of ninja-style jutsu, but this is just… this?”

To think a thief would lose something to another.

A little irony, really.

"I'll take this gratefully."

He drained the contents of the small bottle in one gulp.

It was grapefruit-flavored.

"…………Alright, feels much lighter now. Well then, from here on out, you're going to be coming along with me for a little rampage…."

"Wait, hold on!"

Then "Tama" clung to the "Gambling Master" like a regular kid throwing a tantrum.

"That won't work. If you do that, I'll lose my strength..."

"Don't worry. Things will work out somehow. Either way, you don't have a say in this."

"Like that...?"

"Well, asking you to trust me in a situation like this is probably unrealistic....Anyway, that dried-up old man won't be bothering anyone anymore."

As he spoke, the "Gambling Master" realized with a quiet awareness that he'd just ruined the strategy Spring had suggested.

But he had no regrets.

Sorry, Haruna. There's no way I can use "Fate Manipulation."

The bond between people... "fate" is something invaluable above all else.

Even if they're enemies, I can't resort to taking it away.

Still, I'm certain there's no need to worry.

Why?

It's obvious.

Right now, my partner is heading toward them.

▼

Life is like a casino game.

A game can't possibly work without friends to play it with.