The moment Rex walked out of the House of Masks, he knew something had changed.
Not in the world — the worlds were fine. The cosmic casino still glimmered with laughter and light, its marble floors humming under infinite feet.
What changed was how everyone looked at him.
Not curiosity.
Not even jealousy.
This time… hunger.
___
He flipped the black-and-white chip between his fingers.
The Favor Token hummed faintly — whispering things it shouldn't know.
"Erase one truth… make another pay."
"Creepy," Rex muttered.
"Cursed," Lia corrected, walking beside him. "You're basically carrying a paradox. If the wrong person gets their hands on it, they could erase an entire era from the House's memory."
"Neat party trick."
"It's not a trick, Rex. It's power. And power here doesn't stay unchallenged for long."
As if on cue, the lights dimmed.
Three silhouettes stepped out of the haze — their outlines glitching like bad probabilities.
Each wore the crest of a different Table faction:
– The Debt Syndicate, specialists in collecting unpaid wagers.
– The Probability Brokers, traders of luck itself.
– And The Mirage Dealers, illusionists who sold lies for fun and profit.
The leader, a woman in a crimson coat, smiled thinly.
"Evening, Wildcard. Heard you're holding something priceless."
Rex sighed. "If you mean my charm, I can't share that."
She raised her hand — the air cracked with golden dice.
"No, darling. I mean the chip."
Lia's eyes narrowed. "He's under House protection. Touch him, and—"
"—and you'll what?" the woman interrupted, voice purring. "Lecture me? The Dealer can't save him once the bets start flying."
Rex tilted his head. "You talk a lot for someone who brought backup."
The woman grinned. "Oh, sweet boy… I'm the backup."
The dice rolled midair. The world froze — colors draining into grayscale.
[System Alert: Forced Gambit Initiated]
Challenger: Vexa of the Crimson Table
Stakes: Favor Token
Wager Type: Sudden Death
Lia hissed, "She's forcing a duel! Rex, reject the gamble!"
Rex smiled. "And miss the fun?"
🎲
Reality shattered into cards — each one representing a possible move.
Rex reached for one, but the Luckdrake on his shoulder chirped warningly.
The card burned out in his hand before he touched it.
Vexa laughed. "Beginner's mistake. Touch too early, you lose the odds."
Rex's grin widened. "Nah. I was just checking the temperature."
He snapped his fingers. Another card flipped into view — blank.
[Gambit Skill: Shadow Bluff activated]
Forces opponent to misread probability fields for 5 seconds.
Vexa frowned. "What—"
And in that heartbeat of confusion, Rex moved.
He threw the blank card like a coin. It sliced through the frozen air, carving a streak of blue light.
The dice around her burst apart.
[Critical Success: Probability Fold]
Opponent's wager reversed.
New Condition: If Challenger loses, their memories of the duel are erased.
Vexa staggered back, eyes wide. "You—what did you—"
Rex caught the falling dice and smirked. "Just teaching you the meaning of bluff."
The world snapped back to color.
Vexa vanished, her form dissolving into stardust — leaving behind only a faint whisper:
"I'll remember you… even if the House won't."
Lia stared. "You rewrote a duel with beginner-level skills."
Rex pocketed the dice. "I call it creative accounting."
"Rex… do you even realize what you just did?"
He shrugged. "Won?"
"No," she said quietly. "You made the House… laugh."
And sure enough, somewhere above them, the Dealer's chuckle echoed faintly through the marble halls.
"Oh, Wildcard… I do love when you cheat interestingly."
_____
[System Update]
Trial Completed: Forced Gambit (Unscheduled)
Reward: +20 Recognition Points
Bonus: Unlocked Skill – Probability Twist
Item Acquired: Broken Dice of Vexa (Artifact – Bound)
House Observation: "Wildcard trend accelerating. Recommend containment… or sponsorship."
As they walked away, Rex twirled the new dice in his hand.
"So… what exactly do these do?"
Lia sighed. "Knowing you? Probably something stupid."
He smiled. "Good. Then they'll fit right in."
The Luckdrake chirped again — wings flashing gold, as if amused.
And from somewhere deep within the casino, unseen by either of them, a dozen masked figures watched.
The House of Masks, The Dealer, and the cosmic audience — all waiting for the Wildcard's next move.
Because for the first time in recorded probability… someone had bent the House's math.
And survived.