"Again... Again... It's happening again..."
The mood had been perfect, but once more, the moment was ruined. Veins throbbed on Kael's forehead, his expression a clear map of his intense frustration.
Natsu and Happy, seeing Kael and Mira's interrupted posture, immediately realized they had stepped into a minefield.
"This is bad! Run for it!!" Natsu yelled.
"Aye, sir!"
The duo vanished into the shadows before Kael could react.
"Pfft!" Mira couldn't help but let out a giggle at Kael's fuming expression. She patted his arm gently. "Let's go see what the fuss is about."
Kael let out a long sigh, his shoulders dropping as he nodded. "Alright, fine."
He was curious about the games himself. As they say, a little gambling is good for the soul, but a lot of it ruins the man.
The two quickly changed into more appropriate attire and made their way to the underground casino. The venue was magnificent—a sprawling, opulent hall divided into various gaming zones. The air was thick with the scent of expensive drinks and the hum of a crowd; it seemed every wealthy tourist from the beach had gathered here for the night. After all, for the rich and noble, losing a bit of gold was just another form of entertainment.
"What should we play first?" Mira asked, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in the flashing lights and spinning wheels.
"Since we're here, let's give everything a shot," Kael replied. He was just as out of his element as she was; his only knowledge of casinos came from movies in his past life.
"Sounds like a plan!"
Roulette
"Huff... Huff... Huff!"
Natsu was sprawled across the roulette table, blowing desperately at the small ball that had already settled into a pocket.
"Sir, please! You can't do that!" the dealer cried out, trying to push him back.
"I saw it! I saw it land on 17 with my own eyes!" Natsu barked, pointing a finger at the wheel. "Then it just... clattered and hopped into another number! This is rigged! It's a scam!!"
"Aye!" Happy added, nodding solemnly.
"That's impossible, sir," the dealer replied, looking helpless as a crowd began to gather.
"Haha! That guy is a total lost cause," Gray laughed from a distance, watching Natsu make a fool of himself.
"Lord Gray."
Nearby, a soft voice called out from behind him. Gray froze, turned around, and found himself staring at a girl with blue, curly hair. It was Juvia, one of the former "Element 4" from the Phantom Lord guild.
Gray's eyes widened in shock. "You... You're... What are you doing here?!"
The Phantom Lord incident was still fresh in everyone's mind. Fairy Tail hadn't even finished rebuilding their guild hall after the wreckage that conflict caused.
Juvia was the one who had fought him. Even though Gray had won that duel, he knew it was largely due to elemental advantage. In terms of raw magic power, she had been a level above him.
The two moved to the bar to talk. Their fight had been a matter of guild loyalty; personally, they held no real grudges.
"I heard Phantom Lord disbanded?" Gray asked.
Shortly after Fairy Tail's victory, the news had hit the papers. It had caused a massive stir throughout the Kingdom of Fiore, as Phantom Lord had been one of the most powerful and prestigious guilds in the land.
"Yes. Juvia is a freelance wizard now," she said, her gaze lingering on him.
"Oh... So, are you looking to join Fairy Tail?"
"Yes! Juvia wants to join very much!"
"In that case, I can put in a word for you. The old man will probably agree," Gray said casually. While they had been enemies, the war was over. With Phantom Lord gone, the past was better left in the past.
"Really?! Thank you so much, Lord Gray... Aah!"
Suddenly, a heavy hand slammed into Juvia's back, pinning her to the ground.
"Juvia!" Gray sprang to his feet, glaring at the intruder. "What the hell do you think you're doing, you bastard?!"
"You're Gray Fullbuster, right?" a cold voice asked. "Where is Erza?"
On the other side of the room, Natsu was still arguing with the dealer.
"I'm telling you, I saw it! You can't fool me!"
"BOY."
A deep, rhythmic voice rumbled behind him. Natsu and Happy turned around.
"In a playground for adults, one should maintain a certain level of gentlemanly decorum. Do you understand?"
"A square...?" Natsu blinked.
"A SQUARE?!!"
The man before them looked like he was built entirely out of toy blocks.
"Boy, let me teach you something. A man has only two paths to walk," the block-man said, suddenly lunging forward. He grabbed Natsu by his scarf and slammed him onto the gambling table, shoving the barrel of a pistol into Natsu's mouth. "Either you live with the elegance of a mature man... or you stop breathing. Do you understand?"
"He's got a gun!!"
"Aaaaaah!"
Panic erupted. The tourists screamed and scattered in every direction. Even in a world of magic, a bullet—especially an enchanted one—could be just as lethal as a spell.
"What do you want?!" Natsu muffled through the steel in his mouth.
"Where is Erza?"
The Poker Area
At the far end of the hall, Erza was absolutely dominating the poker table.
"A Royal Flush!" Lucy cheered, hugging Erza's shoulder. "Erza, you're incredible! I'm your biggest fan!"
"Heh, I think I'm just having a lucky streak today," Erza replied with a rare, relaxed smile.
"Time for a dealer change," a voice announced.
A young boy with blonde hair, dressed in dealer attire, pushed the flustered dealer aside. Erza looked at him calmly. "It doesn't matter who the opponent is. I won't lose tonight."
"That's right!" Lucy chimed in.
Shff—shff—shff!
The boy's hands were a blur as he handled the deck. "Then how about we play a special game? No chips this time."
With a flick of his wrist, he dealt five cards in front of Erza. When they landed, the letters on the back formed a single word: D-E-A-T-H.
"How about we bet your life, Sister Erza?"
Erza looked up. When she saw the boy's face clearly, her pupils shrank, and a visible tremor ran through her body. "Sho...?"
"Long time no see, Sister."
"Eh? What's going on?" Lucy asked, looking back and forth between them, completely lost. "Why did he call you sister?"
Suddenly, the lights in the entire casino cut out, plunging the hall into total darkness. When the power surged back a second later, the crowds of tourists had vanished. The room fell deathly silent.
"Sho?!!"
"I'm right here, Sister." Sho fanned out a deck of cards. Inside the illustrations, tiny people could be seen banging on the "glass," their silent screams for help echoing in Erza's mind.
"They're... trapped inside the cards?!" Lucy gasped.
"Impressive, isn't it? I can use magic now, too," Sho said with a cold smirk.
"Magic... You... how...?"
"Meow!"
"Kyaaa!"
A rope whipped through the air, binding Lucy so tightly she couldn't move. A girl with cat-like features and ears grinned at Erza.
"Full of energy, meow? It's been a long time, Er-chan!"
"Millianna?! What are you doing?! Lucy is my friend! Let her go, now!" Erza demanded, her voice shaking with a mix of anger and grief.
"Weren't we your friends once, too?" Sho interrupted. "Before you betrayed us, Sister?"
Erza flinched as if she'd been struck.
"Don't be so hard on her, Sho. A mature man must master his emotions," a voice boomed. Blocks materialized out of thin air, assembling into the block-man. "You've grown into quite the woman, Erza."
"That voice... Wally?" Erza whispered.
Wally adjusted his suit, looking slightly offended. "I suppose it's natural you don't recognize me. I've become much smoother since the days they called me 'Mad Dog Wally'."
"You have magic too..."
"It's nothing to be surprised about. Once you know the trick, anyone can do it," a massive figure emerged from a magic circle on the floor.
"Simon?! Why are you all here... Let Lucy go!"
"We've come to take you back," Simon said heavily.
"Meow."
"Come home, Sister."
"And if you don't want to cooperate..." Wally aimed his gun at Lucy and cocked the hammer with a metallic click.
"No! Stop!" Erza cried out.
In that split second, Wally's arm detached, appearing out of thin air behind Erza.
"Take a nap."
Bang!
A specialized sleeping bullet struck Erza in the side. Her eyes fluttered, and her knees gave out.
"Erza!!" Lucy screamed.
"Target acquired," Sho said coldly. "Let's move out."
Suddenly, a voice vibrated through the silent, empty casino—a voice brimming with overwhelming pressure..
"Full-Body Take Over: Satoru Gojo."
---
There are 50 advanced chapters on Patreon, which I'm currently rewriting and polishing for a better reading experience. Thank you for your support and patience.
https://www.patreon.com/c/LEYI396