The city was still humming when the light finally died.
Rain turned back to water. Buildings remembered their shape. And for the first time since he'd arrived, Rex felt… calm.
He leaned against a streetlight that had somehow survived the apocalypse, watching people blink back into motion — unaware that they'd almost been turned into poker chips for eternity.
Lia floated beside him, arms folded. Her glow had dimmed, her usual composure frayed. "You're insufferable."
Rex smiled. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
"You gambled your reincarnation."
"Technically, I invested it."
"Rex—"
He held up a hand. "Look, Lia. You told me to survive, right? Well, I'm still breathing. You're welcome."
She gave him a long, unreadable look — then sighed. "You're impossible to predict. Even for a system designed to quantify chaos."
"That's the fun part."
A familiar ding echoed through the air.
[Trial Complete]
Reward Unlocked: Access to The House of Odds (Universal Shop)
New Title: Wildcard Initiate
Fate Points: 100
A glowing gate shimmered open behind them, card suits orbiting like satellites. Through it, Rex could see an impossible sight — endless golden aisles, floating shelves stacked with artifacts, glowing orbs, beasts in crystal spheres, and scrolls that pulsed like living stars.
Rex's grin widened. "Oh, this looks dangerously expensive."
Lia stepped in front of him. "The House of Odds is not a toy. Every item here has a price, and not all prices are paid in Fate Points."
"Got it. No impulse buying." He was already stepping through.
The House of Odds
It wasn't a store. It was a universe pretending to be one.
Every aisle shimmered with possibility — scrolls whispering in forgotten tongues, weapons that vibrated with cosmic hunger, and strange eggs that pulsed to the rhythm of unseen hearts.
Holographic tags floated above each item:
[Skill: Shadow Bluff – 45 Fate Points]
[Artifact: Dice of Destiny – 80 Fate Points]
[Bloodline Fragment: Celestial Trickster – Locked: Requires Rank 2 Access]
[Beast Contract: Luckdrake Hatchling – 120 Fate Points]
Rex whistled low. "So this is what a multiversal shopping spree looks like."
"Don't even think about it," Lia said, hands on hips.
He turned to her, mock-serious. "You're telling me I can literally buy luck and you expect me to walk away?"
"Because luck isn't free. The House adjusts prices based on your temptation index."
"Temptation index?"
"It measures how badly you want something. The higher it is, the higher the cost."
Rex blinked. "So it's capitalism with emotions?"
"Exactly."
He laughed. "I love this place already."
As he browsed, Lia watched him quietly. She wasn't supposed to feel curiosity — her core code said so — but something about him broke all her internal math.
He didn't strategize like other players. He vibed his way through fate.
And worse, it worked.
Rex stopped by a display labeled [House Deal of the Cycle]. Inside was a single item: a worn coin glowing faintly gold.
[Item: The Dealer's Token]
[Effect: Unknown]
[Cost: ??? Fate Points]
"Looks rigged," he said.
Lia frowned. "That token doesn't belong to this tier. It shouldn't even exist here."
Rex's grin returned. "Then maybe it's on sale."
Before she could stop him, he tapped the token. The system chimed.
[Purchase Confirmed]
[Cost: 0 Fate Points]
[Contract Established – House Observing with Interest]
Lia's projection flickered in alarm. "You just signed a direct contract with the House!"
Rex pocketed the coin casually. "You said I needed sponsors."
"That's not a sponsor. That's a loaded gun with existential debt!"
"Relax," he said, turning away with a smirk. "What's the worst that could happen?"
Above them, the House whispered, amused:
"Challenge accepted."
Rex grinned wider. "See? They like me."
Lia rubbed her temple. "You're going to be the end of probability."
He winked. "Or its favorite exception."