"Who wants to gamble?"
The crowd gazed at Feng Marino for a moment before resuming their meal. It is common knowledge in Southlund that these two will do anything to earn some measly sum. Feng Marino and Guy Rose looked at each other. They are nobodies who can't fit in with any parties, and it's logical to doubt them.
The waiter grabbed the menu, sighing as he shook his head. He went back to his job entertaining customers. Taberna Pauperis went back to its usual atmosphere, isolating the two.
Feng Marino gritted his teeth, his veins bulging from his forehead. He walked towards the middle of the tavern, where they reserved long tables for the crowded parties. Seated on this long table were barbarians, a race of bulky people covered in assortments of tattoos. Feng Marino excused himself and sat near a bald barbarian, his forehead scarred, his chest bearing a sun tattoo.
"Ahem. Thorkellsson, do you wanna try gambling?" Feng Marino offered.
"Sigh. Wot're ya on 'bout this time, eh? If it's more o' yer bullshite, I'll crack yer skull open on me da's axe, swear down." – Thorkellsson grumbled, placing the axe on the table while tapping the cheek with his fingers.
"Chill out, Thorkellsson, no funny business. I just received a new ability from my system, it's called Gambling. The lowest fee is 200 bronze coins, and there is a chance to win 1 silver coin. Just a fun gambling game, no harm if you try right?" Feng Marino smirked at Thorkellsson while he curled his thumb and index into a zero.
Thorkellsson glared at Feng Marino. This shrub knows him too well; he'd just love to crush him. Everyone in Southlund knew him as the leader of the Band of the Sun, a ferocious and crazy warrior. However, he hid his interests from his group. Few people knew it, and one of them was Feng Marino, a colleague at the rooster pit.
He scanned his party's reaction, and they shrugged it off with indifference, pushing the decision back to him. Thorkellsson let out a heavy sigh.
"Oi, righto, fine. But 'fore I even faff wiv it—ya mean ter tell me the prize iz just one measly silver coin? Tha's not wurf me time, shrub."
Like a patient fisherman reeling in a big catch, Feng Marino's grin spread to his eyes. "As you already know..."
He explained how his Gambling ability worked—detailing the prizes per rarity, the conditions for winning and losing—while omitting minor details, like why the fee was 200 bronze coins instead of the actual 180 bronze coins cost.
"Huh... aye, I get it. 'Ere, take dis sad silver coin, yeah? Toss in some... unco-mon ra-di-ty at 3, an' lemme roll two times, aye? Da leftover scraps? Heh... all yours, shrub." Thorkellsson tossed a silver coin to Feng Marino like he was throwing dirt.
Feng Marino's eyes glimmered as he snatched the graying coin out of the air with a swift motion. With fluid precision, he clicked the deposit button and activated the Gambling ability. His movements were precise, like he'd done it a thousand times.
Guy Rose stood at the corner, keeping his distance from Feng Marino. Beside him, the waiter watched the bustling table with a keen eye.
"Ji-won is confused about how he was able to easily convince Thorkellsson. Are they friends or something?" The waiter who called himself Ji-won asked.
Guy Rose nodded. "You see, Jiji, they are betting buddies at the underground rooster pit. Feng told me that if nobody believes him, his first vict- ahem - customer would likely be Thorkellsson."
"This lowlife!" Ji-won's eyelids quivered as he murmured. "Ji-won wonders how this good-for-nothing has survived till now?"
"Jiji, what did you say?" Guy Rose peered at Ji-won.
"Nothing, Guy. Ji-won just loves talking to himself."
As the two were discussing, Feng Marino pulled two 10-sided dice out of his system's screen. He handed the two dice to Thorkellsson.
"Now roll it and let's see if you're lucky or nah." Feng Marino instructed.
"Hah! Lemme show ya real luck, ya shrub." Thorkellsson snickered as he grabbed the dice and threw them at the long table.
The two dice landed on the long table, spinning wildly. Taberna Pauperis fell silent, with onlookers from other tables leaning in, eager to see the outcome.
The spinning dice's momentum waned, and they began to slow. Thorkellsson's eyes blazed with intensity, his fingers covertly crossed under the table. One die rolled to a stop, revealing a 3. The second die landed with a soft clink, showing an 8.
"Oi! Lookit dis - proper lucky, innit scrub? Smack dab on da unco-mon one! HUH-HAH-HAH!" Thorkellsson jabbed a finger at the dice, his laughter blaring like a trumpet.
Two screens flickered to life, replacing the dice.
= = = = = =
Congratulations! You got the Uncommon (3)!
Your Prize is. . .
= = = = = =
Congratulations! You got the Common (8)!
Your Prize is. . .
= = = = = =
The onlookers around the long table held their breath as one, their eyes fixed on the prize that the Uncommon rarity holds. Feng Marino's curiosity surged – he was witnessing the ability's debut.
Ding! Ding!
The two tones resonated through Taberna Pauperis, and the screens dissolved into nothingness. Suddenly, 10 blocks of bricks stacked into a pyramid, and a wave of water splashed down, drenching the table and the newly appeared bricks.
= = = = = =
Your Prize is 10 bricks!
= = = = = =
Your Prize is water!
= = = = = =
Thorkellsson's face contorted, his brows furrowing so deeply they almost touched. The onlookers froze, their lips bitten back in restraint, as they turned with deliberate slowness back to their tables. But one person shattered the oppressive silence: Feng Marino, doubled over on the floor, his nasty laughter echoing through the tavern as he clutched his aching stomach.
"Wahahahaha! Are these bricks ovulating?!" Feng Marino's laughter was infectious; he was gasping for breath, his eyes streaming with tears.
Thorkellsson picked up his axe, his face darkened.
"I'm full, ya lazy gits - up on yer feet an' grab yer choppas! We marchin' - got a mighty need ta smash some fookin' shrub!" Thorkellsson commanded his eyes piercing at Feng Marino, he signaled to his party members to carry the bricks as they headed to the tavern's door.
Creek!
The tavern door's grating sound reverberated as the Band of the Sun party made a swift exit. Guy Rose went to Feng Marino, helping him up from the floor. Feng was still reeling from the gamble's outcome, gasping for air as he struggled to catch his breath.
"Thanks, Guy. Haaaaah... my plan worked like a charm. Let's celebrate – I'll treat you to some bread and garlic soup."