“Mr. Jago, back already? Didn’t even last two minutes this time?” someone jeered from across the casino.Marcus barked a laugh. “Shut up. I haven’t even started. But apparently, someone wants to hand me money for free. How could I refuse?”The laughter around him grew louder.“What? Someone actually dares to gamble with you?” one man said, half incredulous, half entertained.“They must have nerves of steel—or rocks for brains,” another added.“Exactly. Going against Mr. Jago at the tables is suicide.”The crowd nodded in agreement. Marcus’s reputation on the ship had already reached legendary status. Since boarding, he had been terrorizing the gambling decks, stripping his opponents of everything—money, dignity, even clothes. A few unlucky ones had left the casino barefoot and broken.For women, the stakes were even crueler. They didn’t just lose money; they lost themselves.Ese was one of them. She hadn’t come to gamble that night—she was simply curious, exploring the entertainment f

“What nonsense!” Marcus barked, his face twisting in disbelief. “Even if by some miracle you rolled three sixes, at best it’s a tie! Don’t think you can trick me with that smug look—”But his words faltered as his eyes dropped to the table.The moment he saw what lay before him, his jaw locked in shock.All three dice were split cleanly in half—neatly, symmetrically—as though sliced by an invisible blade. Each die showed a perfect split: three on one half, four on the other. Combined, every single die totaled seven.Three dice. Twenty-one points.An impossible result.Gasps erupted from the crowd.“What the hell—?”“Did the dice just... break?”“No! Look closely. They’re split! Perfectly!”Dante froze in place, his eyes wide with disbelief. Then, the realization hit him like a storm. “We’ve won!” he shouted, voice cracking with emotion. Tears welled up in his eyes as the weight of the moment sank in.Ese, trembling beside him, covered her mouth as tears streamed down her face. “We rea

“What?” Sasha’s voice cut through the noise like a whip. Her eyes flared with fury as she glared at Marcus. “You want to use me as a wager? Have you completely lost your mind?”Marcus’s smile stiffened for a brief moment before he quickly shifted to a soothing tone. “Sasha, listen to me,” he said, stepping closer. “You know my skills better than anyone. I was careless before, that’s all. That bastard got lucky. But this time, I’m prepared. I won’t lose again. You just need to trust me.”Sasha folded her arms, her expression cold and defiant. “Trust you? The last time I did that, you nearly lost half the family’s assets in Blackwell’s tournament.”Marcus’s jaw clenched. He couldn’t afford for this to fall apart. He took a deep breath, forcing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Fine. How about this?”He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small porcelain vial etched with golden patterns. The faint fragrance that escaped as he opened it made even the spectators around them perk up

“Marcus, if your father finds out you lost your sister, he’ll probably break your legs!”The jeering voices echoed across the casino floor. The crowd erupted into laughter, their mockery loud and merciless. Some even slapped their knees in amusement, their derision slicing through Marcus’s pride like a blade.Marcus’s face turned crimson, his veins bulging at the sides of his neck. His jaw trembled with fury as he glared at Adam. “You bastard!” he roared. “I want to gamble with you again!”Adam leaned casually against the table, his voice calm and cutting. “You’ve already lost your sister to me, Mr. Jago. What else do you have to wager? Don’t tell me you’ve got another sister hidden somewhere.”The entire crowd burst into laughter again.Marcus’s nostrils flared. His hands clenched into fists so tight his knuckles turned white. “I’ll wager my own life!” he barked. “Let’s gamble one last time—winner takes all!”Adam tilted his head, pretending to think. “Your life?” He smirked. “I don’

“Wait a moment,” Adam said calmly, stopping Marcus just as he reached for the cup. “Let’s have someone else open it. Even a small vibration could alter the points.”The crowd nodded in unison. His logic was solid—on a ship filled with warriors and energy cultivators, even a flicker of aura could tilt the dice.Marcus’s expression tightened. He wanted to refuse but couldn’t without sounding guilty. Rejecting the idea now would be admitting he’d tampered with the dice.“Fine,” he said stiffly.Moments later, one of Cosmic Island’s own staff—an impartial overseer wearing the official island crest—stepped forward. Under dozens of watchful eyes, he carefully lifted the cup.The room fell silent.When the dice came into view, gasps rippled through the crowd.All three dice were stacked neatly together, their corners pressed just enough to touch the table—balanced in an impossible formation.“Unbelievable…” someone whispered.Then applause erupted.It wasn’t polite clapping—it was genuine aw