The man glanced at Kenji, then shifted his gaze to Lucas. “I’ll explain the rules now,” he said, his voice steady but carrying a hint of amusement. “The name of the game is called Fate’s Gambit and we will be using tarot cards to play.”Lucas nodded, listening carefully. This was it. The moment where everything hinged on his ability to stay calm and calculated. He didn't necessarily have a problem doing that, his entire life since the past five years hinged on wearing masks of emotions. In fact he’d buried his emotions so deep inside himself, they could as well not exist anymore.“The goal,” the man continued, “is to win by either having the highest-ranking Tarot hand or using the die rolls to influence the game’s outcome.”He explained further, laying out the components. “There are twenty two tarot cards and they all have different values, I hope you are familiar with the values they all carry.”Lucas nodded with a smile. He continued. “The Die roll is just a subsidiary in this game.

Shinto chuckled, his eyes never leaving Lucas’. “I would really like to know your plan?” He chuckled as he saw Lucas' defiant gaze glancing back at him confidently. He has been doing this for years and this young boy thinks he could humiliate him in front of everyone, it won't happen, he would never allow it. Lucas remained silent, his expression calm, almost detached, as if the threat meant nothing to him. He didn't flinch or show any sign of fear.Before Shito could gloat further, Kenji stepped forward. “That’s enough.” Kenji, with his usual calm demeanor, handed Shinto a black tablet. “Watch this before you make any rash decisions.”Shinto, confused, hesitated for a moment, but curiosity got the better of him. He took the tablet and pressed play. The entire atmosphere was drowned in silence and it seemed everyone was curious as to what Kenji was showing him.The video began with footage of a busy street in a rural area as it would appear. The camera zoomed in on a young woman, no

Lora Westfield extended her hand towards Lucas, her expression welcoming and warm but with a bit of curiosity in her eyes. He hesitated for a brief moment, the name "Levi Kishimoto" still unfamiliar on his tongue, but he knew he had to maintain his new identity. He had noticed her earlier during the board meeting, how could he not? Her presence had been hard to miss, dragging the attention of the room even in her quiet moments.But now, standing this close, he realized her beauty was more captivating than it had been during the board meeting. Reddish-brown hair framed her face in soft waves, and her eyes, green and striking, held an intensity that tickled his fancy. She extended her hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you. I did not get the chance to introduce myself personally earlier.”For a brief second, Lucas hesitated. Physical contact to him had always been a tricky thing. Trust could be built, or broken, with something as simple as a handshake. Still, he could not appear too guar

Lucas entered the lavish hotel suite, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle over him. The day had been long—between the business meetings and the unexpected lunch with Lora Westfield, he felt drained. The plush carpet underfoot muffled his steps as he moved deeper into the suite. He paused at the window, the skyline of the city spread out before him like a sea of twinkling lights. Normally, he would take a moment to admire the view, but tonight, fatigue pulled at him.Kenji sat cross-legged in the center of the room, meditating as usual. His mentor’s calm presence contrasted with the bustling city outside and Lucas’ internal turmoil. For a moment, Lucas stood there, watching him. He had always found Kenji’s afternoon meditation routine peculiar. How anyone could sit so still in the middle of a hot, busy day was beyond Lucas. It was as though Kenji existed in another realm, detached from the trivial stresses that plagued the average person."You're back early," Kenji said without ope

Lucas woke up at exactly 6am, without the help of his alarm, he had gotten used to waking up by that time for his exercises that now he did not need an alarm to help him. The sky outside was still partially dark when Lucas stepped out of his hotel room, and headed to the gym owned by the hotel. He did a few reps of weightlifting and proceeded to other exercises before finally heading out of the gym. When he arrived at his hotel room, he rushed into the shower and got out to see Kenji holding a cup of tea waiting for him. “Good morning Mr. “Levi” I trust you had a wonderful sleep,and an even better workout session.” Kenji said smiling.Lucas smirked and replied, “Yes, Kenji, I did sleep well, luckily, no nightmares haunted me.” He and Kenji had a mild laugh and he took the cup from Kenji and drank the content. “Ugh… it's that tea I do not like, why Kenji.” Lucas groaned, Kenji laughed heartily and said “This is good tea, it will keep you focused and active throughout the day, healt