Sword Tiles.

The most common gambling game enjoyed by people.

They draw pictures and numbers on thin pieces of bamboo and determine the winner based on the order or the rank of matching pairs.

Sometimes, fake fortune tellers use Sword Tiles to read fortunes, but it is mostly used as a means to bet money and win the opponent's money.

Even in the Murim Alliance, Sword Tiles was a common gambling game.

Usually, when four or five people gathered with nothing to do, someone would show up holding coins and Sword Tiles.

In my past life, there was a guy in the Minor Orthodox Unit who would show up with coins and Sword Tiles even when there was work to do; it was that scammer, One-Eyed Ghost Sword Seo Unchang.

Whenever this guy joined in, there was never a day without a fight breaking out in the game.

Because he always used sleight of hand, swords would be drawn, and there were many times when those present suffered heavy injuries.

This ridiculous bastard carried Sword Tiles around even later during the Orthodox-Demonic Great War.

Every night, when we returned to the barracks dragging our battle-weary bodies, everyone would sink into a deep silence, awaiting death the next day.

Then Seo Unchang would pull out his Sword Tiles, saying he would read tomorrow's fortune.

What kind of divine power could a guy who spent his whole life scamming others possibly have? Yet, after Seo Unchang used his sleight of hand to deal a good tile, somehow everyone slept comfortably that night.

Of course, if a guy who got a good hand died the next day, no one resented him.

We simply approached Seo Unchang to have tomorrow's fortune told again, just to shake off the fear that the silence of the night brought.

While I was momentarily lost in memories looking at the Sword Tiles, a voice calling me could be heard.

"B-Benefactor Jin... P-Please save me."

No, seriously, what on earth are you doing here?

A sigh naturally escaped me as I looked at his scalp, which was beaded with sweat.

"Are you planning to break your vows?"

"T-That's not it."

Ilmyeong was trembling in fear to the point that even I felt puzzled.

Across both my past and present lives, I had never seen this person express such intense emotion.

"What happened?"

"W-Well..."

The story went roughly like this.

He had wandered here and there to spread the Buddha's good words (?) but because people kept changing seats and didn't give him a chance, he couldn't deliver the teachings properly. However, the people sitting here were uniquely willing to at least pretend to listen.

While he was talking, one person left their seat, so everyone else was about to break up the game and leave. But when they said they would listen to his sermons if he sat down, this naive human eagerly took the seat.

The more I listen, the more ridiculous it is.

"Haa... And then?"

"T-That is..."

"You left the Vajra Rosary as collateral?"

"That is correct..."

I tilted my head.

"Isn't the Vajra Rosary one of the Seven (七) Great Treasures of the Shaolin Sect?"

Ilmyeong turned pale with shock and hurriedly looked around in all directions.

"B-Benefactor Jin! If you say that so loudly..."

Since he was about to lose such a treasure, it made sense that Ilmyeong's Immovable Mind had been broken.

"Can't you just subdue them and take it back?"

"... How could a disciple of the Shaolin Sect commit such an atrocious act..."

"They're all bad guys anyway. They're people whose daily routine is beating each other up."

"... S-Still, that is..."

For a moment, as if drawn by immense temptation, Ilmyeong stared at the confiscated rosary, but then he shook his head as if coming back to his senses.

"And that person is not such a bad person. My loss was the result of a fair game."

The human who took Ilmyeong's Vajra Rosary was a scholar-like figure with a gentle impression.

As if knowing the Vajra Rosary was a precious item, he showed courtesy by placing a small cloth at his feet and carefully keeping it on top of it.

I gestured toward the Vajra Rosary with my chin and asked Ilmyeong.

"You'll go to hell if you blow away the Vajra Rosary in gambling. Aren't you afraid?"

"..."

Ilmyeong's face turned genuinely serious. If I teased him anymore, I might end up going to hell with him.

"How much is the debt?"

"W-Well... Two hundred silver taels."

"..."

Wow... You really lost a lot in that short amount of time.

I took twenty gold taels from my chest and handed them to the scholar-looking man.

"I will pay the debt instead. So, will you return that old rosary?"

The scholar carefully pushed the rosary slightly toward me and said.

"I did not accept this in place of money. I accepted it in place of a 'match.' If you want it, you are welcome to win it back."

Look at this? He definitely must have heard us call it a divine artifact. Yet he's acting as if it's nothing?

"I don't really like gambling, you see."

In my past life, I liked gambling too.

However, after Seo Unchang died, I was the only one left who could use sleight of hand to read fortunes, and I gradually lost interest in gambling.

Furthermore, for some reason, I felt that if I touched the Sword Tiles now, the images of the guys who died after hearing their fortunes in my past life would come to mind.

The scholar pulled the Vajra Rosary back toward himself.

"Then I cannot return it."

"I will give you thirty gold taels. With thirty gold taels, you will be making a profit of a whopping ten taels."

The scholar shook his head with a serene expression.

"I do not feel inclined to."

I pressed my temples firmly and said.

"As you just heard, that is a divine artifact of the Shaolin Sect. Not only can you not dispose of it carelessly, but you also cannot even take it out of here in the first place. If all else fails, I will subdue you by force and take it back."

"I heard Great Warrior Black Flame Dragon was quite a reasonable person, but it seems that was not the case. Is the rumor that you are the Underworld's Divine Star true after all?"

"..."

I tilted my head.

The existence of the delegation was definitely not yet publicly known. Yet this scholar spoke as if he knew not only Ilmyeong but also me.

What's the deal with this guy?

While I was feeling puzzled.

"How about doing it this way?"

The scholar spoke while carefully lifting the Vajra Rosary.

"No matter how much Great Warrior Black Flame Dragon loses, if you win two hundred taels from me, I will simply return the Vajra Rosary."

"It seems a total of four people sit at this table, though?"

"It does not matter. I will keep track, so if you win just two hundred taels, I will give this to Great Warrior Black Flame Dragon."

Did he have business with me from the beginning?

"You seem to like gambling quite a bit?"

The scholar shook his head.

"To be precise, I like 'matches.' But as you can see, I am quite a weakling."

Among the Underworld figures who practiced many external arts, the scholar's physique looked exceptionally small.

Hmm, since he's challenging me to a match to this extent, there is no longer any reason to avoid it.

"Alright. Keep your promise in return."

A soft smile played on the scholar's lips.

"Of course."

I spoke to Ilmyeong, whose complexion had become so pale he looked like an octopus that had just been doused in ink.

"Bald senior, step aside."

"A-Alright. Please! Please!"

Ilmyeong stared at me with desperate, pleading eyes, as if bowing to the Buddha.

CRACK. CRACK.

I sat down while cracking my knuckles and neck.

To dare utter the word 'match' against the White Wolf Pavilion's officially recognized God of Gamblers (賭神).

I'll make you regret it.

From the side, I could hear Tang Seo-hee's anxious, trembling voice.

"You definitely have to win..."

* * *

People grew agitated at the growing stakes.

With their eyes widening at the piling gold and silver taels, gamblers began to gather like ants drawn to a sweet scent.

People's gazes were increasingly drawn toward the winner.

"B-Benefactor Jin... What is this... Do you not know how to play Sword Tiles?"

"... Why did you sit down so coolly? It's embarrassing!"

Ah, of course, that didn't mean I was winning.

"... Do not worry. Gambling is originally about observing the flow first."

I pulled another bank note out from my chest.

"Then why are your hands trembling?"

Huh? My hands were trembling? No way.

There were so, so many times like this in my past life that it was hard to recall every single one.

There were times when my entire monthly salary was wiped out, and times when my bonuses were completely drained.

But in the end, at the very, very end, wasn't I the one who emerged victorious?

"... Benefactor Jin. You are breaking out in a cold sweat..."

Of course, it could look worrisome to those who didn't know better.

Indeed, it certainly could.

If I were the only one who had been drained of twenty gold taels at this table, there would have been absolutely no way to win.

Because that would clearly and obviously mean I was the sucker at this table.

But three out of the four people sitting at this table were getting drained by that scholar.

This meant it wasn't that I was doing poorly, but that he was doing well. Hehe.

'Ah! But that doesn't mean this is a good thing!'

"You're quite good."

The scholar smiled brightly. His radiant smile made even those watching feel good.

The more I look at him, the more likable he is, except for the part where he provokes me.

"Using my head to make a living naturally led to this."

"Is that so? You must use your head a lot."

"Aren't most matters in Jianghu resolved with strength? However, I realized early on that I had limits when it came to martial prowess."

As I talked with the scholar, the previous rounds that had stormed by were replayed in my mind.

Sword Tiles is a numbers game.

It is a game where victory and defeat are decided by comparing the numbers on the tiles each person holds.

Because I possess a flawless memory bordering on a curse, I do not forget the tiles played on the board.

And based on that, it meant I could calculate the wins and losses to some extent.

Even so, losing this overwhelmingly meant...

'This bastard is counting the numbers.'

It was close to certainty... No, I felt certain of it.

Because there was no way I would lose this one-sidedly in any game.

I also used a method of counting numbers based on my memory, but seeing how one-sidedly I was being pushed back, it seemed his counting method was superior.

'What should I do...'

Through the previous rounds, I had already fully grasped how outstanding his card-counting skills were.

Even if we continued gambling like this, it would probably be difficult for me to beat him.

Since Sword Tiles had a limited number of tiles, the number of possibilities also decreased.

Furthermore, since the scholar had accumulated countless experiences, he must be counting the numbers while envisioning almost all possible tile combinations based on the numbers his opponents discarded.

It would be difficult for me to gain the upper hand with just my memory.

"Let's lower the stakes a bit. It's too brutal; I can't keep doing this."

An Underworld figure, who was losing money just like me, spoke up in dissatisfaction.

I spoke without even looking at him.

"If you have no money, drop out."

"What?"

"I said drop out if you have no money. Because I have an item I must retrieve."

"Look at the way this bastard runs his mouth!"

The Underworld figure reacted sharply to my words. Since he was in a situation where he was losing money, it was an all too natural reaction.

Even so, I could not stop.

Because I had to retrieve the Vajra Rosary.

Still only looking at the tiles in my hand, I shouted at him.

"Did I say something wrong? If you have no money, you shouldn't gamble. Are you suggesting we lower the stakes like some pathetic sore loser?"

In response to my attitude, Ilmyeong and Tang Seo-hee instead became flustered and tried to stop me.

"B-Benefactor Jin..."

"I-It seems it would be best to stop."

The Underworld figure, whose face had turned burning red, threw a punch at me as if he no longer had any reservations.

Struck by the punch unexpectedly, I knocked over the table next to me, instantly creating a chaotic scene.

The Underworld figure was still huffing and puffing as if resentful.

"You arrogant brat, your mouth is so damn insolent. Bring it on, you bastard!"

Such ridiculous provocations didn't even register in my ears.

Rather, after getting hit once, it felt like my dizzy head had cleared up a bit more.

"If you've let out all your anger, get lost. You beggar bastard."

I yelled at the Underworld figure who had thrown the punch at me and was about to sit back down, but.

The Underworld figure threw a punch at me once again.

SWOOSH!

THUD!

"Benefactor, you have already swung your fist once, so it would be best to stop."

"L-Let go of this!"

However, it was blocked in an instant by Ilmyeong.

"We are doing something important right now. Please leave, as Benefactor Jin said."

The Underworld figure wore an expression unable to comprehend how the average-height Ilmyeong could so easily subdue his fist, but faced with such overwhelming divine presence, he eventually snorted and left his seat.

"Benefactor Jin, are you alright?"

"Ah, yes. I'm fine."

As I gathered the Sword Tiles and started dealing again, Ilmyeong and Tang Seo-hee, who had been examining my injuries, stepped back.

The other person participating in the game, perhaps feeling that the atmosphere was unusual, grabbed his stakes and left the table.

Now, only the scholar and I remained at the table.

Checking his hand, the scholar stared at me intently.

"... How about you go receive treatment? I will not run away."

Was he actually considering me in the midst of all this?

This person truly had a different feel from other gamblers.

Should I say he didn't aim for money, but rather found joy in gambling itself?

I shook my head.

"My body is warmed up now, and it feels like the excitement will drop if we stop here."

"If you say so."

With only the two of us playing, the pace became even faster.

If the wins and losses had been completely one-sided until now, things were a bit different now.

If the scholar won three rounds, I won one, and as a little more time passed, if the scholar won two rounds, I won one.

The only problem was that the stakes exchanged in the rounds I won were too small.

The money I needed to win from him was two hundred silver taels, but the money I had won so far was merely thirty taels, while the money he had won was now approaching five hundred silver taels.

The people who had been bustling and gathering to watch until a moment ago had also quietly shut their mouths at some point and started observing the match.

The scholar, perhaps feeling no pressure from such things, continued dealing the Sword Tiles and carrying on the game just as before.

"People say that among the rising stars of Jianghu, Young Master Jin's intellect is the most outstanding, which is why the character 'Yeom' for 'thought' was added to your alias."

"Rumors tend to have a lot of exaggeration mixed in."

"You're quite humble."

The scholar smiled brightly once again.

"I heard you have a wondrous talent for never forgetting what you've seen once?"

"I consider it more of a curse than a talent, though."

Once again, it was my defeat.

The scholar swept away the money piled in the middle.

Then he dealt the tiles again.

"If it were a curse, Young Master Jin's name wouldn't have spread so widely."

"Do you truly think so?"

This time, it was my victory.

I weakly gathered the money, which was less than what the scholar had taken.

He shuffled the tiles without delay and dealt them.

"I do. I believe that without that talent, neither the Taiyi Sect nor Young Master Jin would be soaring so high."

"I suppose you could see it that way."

"In that regard, I felt immense curiosity toward Young Master Jin. Because I am also similar to Young Master Jin."

"Do you have a good memory?"

The scholar shook his head.

"That's not it. I just find myself calculating things even when I don't want to."

"Calculating, huh... Hasn't it been difficult?"

"It would be a lie to say it hasn't. Because the outcome of any event becomes predictable even when I don't want it to be, you could say life became boring. At least this kind of gambling has become my only joy."

I thought it would be my victory this time, but the scholar swept the money away once again.

As expected, it seemed his card-counting skills were superior.

"There was a reason I was losing money."

"Well... It's not necessarily just that. If you think about it, doesn't luck play a huge role in gambling?"

"Luck... The difference in amounts is too massive to just call it luck."

The scholar simply smiled brightly.

Anyway, I won this time.

Maybe my mind had warmed up as well.

I was slowly matching his win rate.

Since being certain that he was counting the numbers, I had also gradually reduced the amount of money I bet on rounds I would lose.

From some point on, we continued in a state where we both lost a little and won a little.

And perhaps bored by the shrinking scale of the game, people started leaving one by one.

At that moment, the scholar spoke while shuffling the Sword Tiles.

"Did you know that some people read their own fortunes with Sword Tiles?"

"I've read quite a few."

Across my past and present lives, there probably isn't anyone who has read more fortunes with Sword Tiles than me.

After dealing the Sword Tiles, the scholar checked his hand and proposed.

"How about we make this our final match, and tell our fortunes while we're at it?"

"What do you mean by final match?"

"Once this round ends, regardless of the outcome, I will return the Vajra Rosary. However, if you lose, in return for giving back the Vajra Rosary, you will give me the Black Dragon Sword."

I examined the scholar's hands.

Although there were some calluses on both hands, they were not the hands of someone who wielded a sword.

"It doesn't seem like you use a sword as a weapon, so why do you need a sword?"

"Because I want to use it as a token."

"A token?"

When I asked back, he looked at me and grinned.

"A token proving I defeated the Black Flame Dragon."

"Why do you even need a token proving you won against someone like me?"

"Hmm, I just... thought it would be nice to have."

I examined my hand.

Then I nodded.

"Alright."

At that moment, Ilmyeong's desperate sound transmission reached me.

[-B-Benefactor Jin... Isn't it hard to guarantee a certain victory with that hand?]

Oh, really? He had become a gambling expert all of a sudden.

Ignoring the bald gambling expert's words, I continued to look at the scholar.

"Although the Black Dragon Sword is an artifact, it cannot compare to the Vajra Rosary. Are you sure about this?"

"I'd rather hear the story of defeating the Black Flame Dragon than the story of defeating Monk Ilmyeong, you see."

"I don't know if I should be pleased. Who am I, really."

We each took one more tile and started organizing our hands.

Every time we did, we placed a silver coin on the table, but it was nothing more than a formality.

In the end, the stakes for this round were the Vajra Rosary and the Black Dragon Sword.

The scholar began to stroke his chin.

"When I first heard the rumors of the Black Flame Dragon, I was so surprised that my body trembled. Because I couldn't have imagined there would be a person of this caliber."

"Is that so?"

He slowly nodded.

"Perhaps I empathized more because I am also carrying my sect on my own."

"I am not carrying mine alone, though."

"Even so, in the end, the one carrying the heaviest burden is..."

Discarding a tile with the number Ten (十) written on it, the scholar picked up a new tile.

"Exactly people like us."

Soon, the scholar grinned, showing his teeth.

"Anyway, it seems my fortune is a little better."

Bullshit.

Talking about luck when he bet everything after seeing his initial hand?

"..."

"Shall we reveal them then?"

The scholar placed the Vajra Rosary on the table.

I also untied the Black Dragon Sword and placed it on the table.

The scholar slowly laid his hand down on the table.

"Unfortunately, it seems I have won this match."

As the Linked Ring Sword (連環劍) hand, featuring five consecutive numbers, was revealed, a deep gasp echoed throughout the area.

"My goodness, I suspected it when he discarded the Ten (十) tile, but still!"

"To think it's a Linked Ring Sword...! In the end, that scholar won."

"Indeed. It's a hand I've only seen three times myself."

It was completely ridiculous.

To think a real Linked Ring Sword hand actually came out.

It was such an improbable hand that even the One-Eyed Ghost Sword rarely pulled it out when running a rigged game.

And on the final round where the most important things were on the line?

Ultimately, it meant the guy had expected a Linked Ring Sword to come out from the moment he received his first hand.

And I had beautifully floundered within his calculations.

Reaching for the Black Dragon Sword, the scholar said.

"I will have to brag to my fellow sect members. That I defeated the Black Flame Dragon. Hehe."

With a beaming smile, the scholar reached for the Black Dragon Sword, acting as if he no longer had any interest in the Vajra Rosary.

"Hold it right there."

I snatched the wrist of the scholar who had grabbed the Black Dragon Sword.

"Watch where you put your hands."

Despite the obvious difference in martial prowess, the scholar continually smirked, as if completely at ease.

"Are you planning to use force in the end?"

"What are you talking about?"

I didn't know where things went wrong.

Perhaps things went wrong from the moment that bald guy sat in this seat.

Even so.

I didn't confidently sit in this seat without the means to solve the problem either.

"Because I haven't even revealed my hand yet."

"Heh, even if I look..."

CLACK. CLACK.

I placed my tiles on the table one by one.

"...?"

Every time I laid out a tile, the beaming scholar's face stiffened rigidly.

"W-What is this..."

"Haven't you heard the saying, it's not over until it's over?"

Every time I laid out a tile, the eyes of the surrounding gamblers grew larger and larger.

"Uh... Huh?! W-Whoa!"

Eventually, when all the tiles were revealed.

Groans like those of the sick burst forth from all directions.

"My goodness... To think I'd see that."

"Is that a hand that can even normally come out?"

Four One (一) tiles and one King (王) tile.

It was the Five Heavenly Kings, the strongest hand in Sword Tiles.

"W-Why the Five Heavenly Kings?!"

With a look of disbelief, the scholar stared intensely back and forth between me and my hand.

"I guess I got lucky."

I gave him a wide grin.

What, so what?

Why do you think the God of Gamblers is the God of Gamblers? It's because he wins no matter what.

You punk!