When the game started, the viewers’ noise and chatter were muted, returning the building to its peaceful state... though this was only for the Rifters’ ears, in reality, the Gamemaster and viewers could still hear everything.
Levi and the Rifters weren’t surprised by this... having the viewers this close would only ruin the game for them due to their noise.
"Get in your stations."
Hearing Gamemaster Gamble’s order, Levi walked to the closest platform to him and stood in front of the screen. It was already showing different colors changing randomly on all screens.
"Three, two, one!"
The moment the countdown concluded, the screen locked on a purple color for Levi with a single word written underneath it.
-Challengee-
’Starting as a target... not ideal, but it’s decent in the first round.’
Levi looked at the others and noticed that most of them had poker-like expressions or were wearing masks, making it hard to tell if they were challenger or challengee. However, Levi didn’t need to look at them since the screen’s details were for all to see.
After all, the challengers needed to know their targets... if they were given such an advantage, it would be unfair to leave the challengee without a clue about who would be coming after them.
The Joker was a mind game at its heart... which meant a certain level of knowledge was needed to manipulate others.
"I am a challenger."
The Dealer announced with a playful smile while glancing at everyone’s looks; his hands were shuffling the tarot cards at an insane speed.
"So... who will keep me company in this round? How about we let the cards decide for us?"
Levi and the rest remained silent, watching as the Dealer placed nine tarot cards in midair... each one had a different picture and a word.
There was The Fool, The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Hermit, The Devil, The Tower, and The Sun.
"Each card will represent one of you from the start to the end of the game... any one of you interested in knowing what fate will decide for us?" The Dealer smiled as he made those cards spin around him.
He didn’t need to tell them about their cards... it was like every one of them was drawn to a card on their own.
The same mysterious feeling went through Levi... however, he didn’t feel any connection to the chosen cards... instead, he gazed at the tarot deck in the Dealer’s hand.
’What a strange power...’
In the end, Levi didn’t wait for the Dealer to continue his shenanigans... they had five minutes to make their decisions, and the timer started the moment their rooms and roles were chosen.
He wasn’t the only one leaving... most of the Rifters gave the Dealer an irritated look and went to their rooms, having no plans to have their minds tampered with by ’fate’.
"You guys are no fun." The Dealer sighed in disappointment and recollected the tarot cards... but when he tried to collect the Sun Card, he noticed that it wasn’t linked to the Celestial as he had expected.
Intrigued, he switched his gaze to Levi, who was about to step inside the purple-colored gate... then, his eyes turned starry all of a sudden.
A faint, gleaming string manifested in his vision between Levi’s abdomen and a specific card within his tarot deck... a string only he could sense.
The Dealer ran his finger on the deck, stopping the instant he reached the marked card... he pulled only half of it, but the moment he saw it, his heart couldn’t help but skip a beat.
’This... how? Why?’
The Dealer was left stunned and mostly confused by the results... if he wasn’t an excellent fortune-teller, he would honestly doubt his findings.
’Three-Body Problem... what are you exactly?’ The Dealer murmured inwardly, his eyes affixed on the slow-closing door.
...
Meanwhile, inside the combat room...
Levi went straight to the platform in the center of the combat room. The room was massive indeed, possibly covering tens of kilometers easily.
The insane size didn’t match how close the doors were to each other... This made Levi assume that the rooms had spatial expansion compared to the central plaza. They weren’t in a different dimension or such, but the space itself expanded beyond the norm.
Though the white combat room had nothing going on for it but the platform in the middle and the massive roof screen, showing millions of eyes... creepily staring at Levi, their voices muted.
After reaching the platform, Levi noticed a small deck of cards placed on top and a dice next to it... the platform was one meter wide, serving as a flat screen and a surface.
Levi picked up the deck of cards and spread it out on the screen, showing each card.
The defensive cards had a blue shield shape and numbers ranging from one to nine.
The offensive cards had a sword shape and numbers also ranging from one to nine.
The Queen card showed a Queen spreading an illuminating blessing from her hands.
The King card presented a noble king charging on his horse amidst a bloody battlefield.
The Jack card showed an honored knight throwing a gauntlet in front of another knight, declaring his intent to a battle.
Lastly... the Joker card... it was of a slightly terrifying clown. If one looked closer into his eyes, they would have the feeling of it staring back.
’Three minutes remaining... I already know who is definitely going to challenge me. Now, I just need to predict which angle he will come at me from.’
The moment Levi saw the Masked Butcher getting chosen as a challenger, he was certain that he would be coming for him with his strongest cards in the first round.
After all, if he didn’t come at Levi... he would be leaving room for Levi to challenge him in the second round.
He couldn’t afford to give Levi such freedom, understanding that the moment Levi challenged him with a King card or Jack card, he was done for.
As for the Joker card? He could use it to cancel only one card... this meant he was damned to get hit unless he used the Queen card and the Joker.
Too many utilities were wasted just to survive... he didn’t like it.
Hence...
’The Masked Butcher will come at me swinging, and the other challengers know this too. So, no one will challenge me, leaving us to handle our business.’ Levi tapped his finger on the Joker card, ’Whatever happens... they knew we would be losing special cards, weakening us immensely for later rounds.’
Levi saw the Masked Butcher going inside the yellow room, which was two rooms away from his own... he tuned out the noises in his mind and focused his harmonic spine, attempting to see if he could spy on him or any other competitor.
Unfortunately, his harmonic spine’s range was still in the hundreds... it couldn’t even bypass the immense range of his room. As for Echo Location? The walls were perfectly soundproof; not a single frequency could bounce outside.
This meant Levi was left to explore his options through intelligence alone... no cheats available.
But he wasn’t too worried.
’The winning condition of this game is research and playing the Rifters’ personas, not their cards.’ Levi thought calmly, ’The Masked Butcher will most likely choose a Queen card for defense and a King card to cast his ultimate ability... he won’t be stupid to bring the Joker card right from the start... it might allow him to cancel an ability of mine, but since he is the challenger, then his cards take priority over mine... if I used the Jack card, and he had the King card, he would be allowed to use an ultimate ability on me before I can duel him. With the Queen card in hand, he doesn’t need to be afraid of retaliation if I survive... he can use it to block a single attack of mine and heal up his wounds.’
’However... if I can reach this conclusion, so can he... There might be a chance that he will skip his challenge and save up his cards for defense. But if he did this, he would leave himself under the threat of being consumed by fear... he won’t dare pick low-numbered cards when I am the challenger... how long will this last? Someone like him doesn’t like living in fear, and as long as I am in the game, he won’t be at peace.’
Levi knitted his eyebrows coldly, ’He is coming for me... and he is coming for the kill.’