Encounter
♯
——Luna Island, one of the world’s premier tourist destinations.
As we passed through the port and officially set foot on the island, what greeted us was an overwhelming sense of
the extraordinary.
No, it wasn’t exactly the kind of awe inspired by exotic vibes or anything like that. After all, the people around us were mostly Eimei’s classmates or students from other school districts.
Still, the reason we felt this festive, otherworldly atmosphere was probably because of the masks.
Not just us, but everyone passing by was wearing a mask.
And once you switched your device’s screen to the so-called “Luna Island Mode,”
a slew of information—player names, chip counts, and more—would pop up in your field of vision. Even within the range I could see, several casino games were already underway.
(This is… insane…)
The sight made my heart race, sending a slight shiver through me.
By the way, we were currently about ten minutes’ walk from one of the port districts located in the east, west, south, or north of Luna Island.
From here, heading inland would lead to the commercial district, the forest district, and even the amusement district or the futuristic district… branching out into the countless tourist districts Luna Island prides itself on.
“——So, what should we do for now?”
As I was studying the map, a voice called out from beside me.
Turning to look, I saw
Yuki Tsuji there. With his monocle mask glinting, he pulled out his device and continued.
“The ‘Duel Game’ has started, so we should probably decide on a plan. We’re supposed to act as a group for now, but we could split up to explore, or even join a bigger party if we want. It’s a school trip, after all.”
“Hm… Well, we can play it by ear, I guess. But if we’re talking about making the most of this school trip, don’t you think there’s something we should prioritize?”
“Something to prioritize?”
“Yeah… Hey, Tatara, is the place you want to visit somewhere around here?”
With that, I turned to face Tatara—the class president, who, despite her bold declaration at the port, now had her eyes sparkling as she soaked in Luna Island’s atmosphere.
Landing on her dream island and diving straight into the “Duel Game” would be a tough switch for anyone, not just Tatara. Plus, if there was a destination we could stop by nearby, there was no reason to skip it.
“Eh, really? Is that okay?”
As expected, Tatara’s bunny ears twitched with delight as she eagerly asked. When I gave her a small nod, she pulled out her trusty travel guidebook and said with a beaming smile:
“Then I want to go to Sunny Street in the commercial district! There’s a super popular burger joint there, and they say eating there boosts your luck. And look here! ‘Sunny Street is recommended for casino game beginners. Low-stake games are perfect for tutorials!’ it says!”
“I see… A two-birds-one-stone situation, then.”
“As expected of Fuuka-san,” Himeji said, her silver hair swaying as she offered words of praise.
I completely agreed—and so, our first destination was decided.
(Let’s see…?)
As we walked toward Sunny Street, I projected my device’s screen to the edge of my vision and decided to review the island’s system once more.
First off, this entire area was classified as a C-rank area.
Luna Island has “areas” that you can’t even enter without a certain number of chips, where you can challenge higher-stake casino games.
The C-rank area, on the other hand, refers to beginner-friendly zones with no such restrictions.
Our starting chips were a uniform 1,000, but if you reached 100,000 chips, you could enter B-rank areas; 1,000,000 for A-rank areas; and 10,000,000 for the S-rank area, the deepest part of Luna Island.
(The higher the area, the higher the stakes of the games, so at the very least, Himeji and I need to secure a B-rank area license ASAP…)
That was the rough plan for now. …But that was a bit further down the line.
For now, we needed to get accustomed to Luna Island’s casino system as quickly as possible.
And so—
“——Alright, shall we move on to selecting the first game we’ll try?”
In the commercial district, Sunny Street.
After devouring the district’s famous burgers (It was so delicious it was touching), we opened the map to search for nearby casino games.
Peering at my device from right beside me, Himeji, her silver hair swaying, whispered softly.
“It seems dealers nearby are displayed as silk hat icons. If you long-press the icon, you can view details about the game that dealer is managing.”
“Yeah. Looks like only games you can join right away are prioritized for display.”
“Indeed. The map shows the game’s name, rule summary, risk assessment, and reviews… Of these, the most important is the risk assessment. It evaluates the game’s difficulty, the complexity of the strategies, and the number of chips at stake. The higher these are, the ‘higher the risk,’ so it’s the first thing to check when choosing a game.”
“Got it! So, if we want a tutorial for Luna Island’s casino, we should look for [☆1] games, right?”
“That’s correct. …Of course, we can only afford to take such a passive approach for now.”
Answering Tatara’s question with a cool voice, Himeji slid her white-gloved fingertip across my device’s screen—causing all games rated [☆2 or higher, high risk] that didn’t match the search criteria to dim instantly.
As expected of a district recommended as “beginner-friendly” in the travel guidebook, there were still quite a few [☆1] games left.
Seeing this, Tsumugi gave a small nod.
“Nice, with this many options, we can take our pick. There’s one just around that corner, and this dealer’s close too… Wait, huh? This icon’s getting closer—”
“—Oh! Are you guys looking for a game too? Or maybe not!?”
And then.
As we were huddled over the device, discussing this and that, a voice suddenly called out from behind.
Catching a glimpse of Himeji’s cat-whisker cheek makeup twitching in surprise, I turned around—and standing there was an unfamiliar woman.
She was tall and slender, dressed in a tuxedo that looked like it belonged to a magician or a butler. Her vibrant blonde hair stretched down to her waist, topped with a stylish black silk hat.
Elegantly lifting the hat with one hand, she gave a cheerful bow.
“Nice to meet you! I’m a rookie dealer big sis! I’m recruiting players for a casino game over there, and we’re just two short of the perfect number… So, what do you say!?”
“…Leaving the game offer aside, what’s ‘perfect’ about it? There’s four of us, as you can see.”
“Oh, that’s because—”
“—Pardon me, that would be my doing.”
Cutting off the blonde dealer mid-sentence, a deep voice rang out from the side.
Emerging smoothly from the crowd was an older man. He wore a similar tuxedo, but his age gave him an air of gravitas.
“I, too, am a dealer on Luna Island. I’m also looking for two more participants for a casino game. Together, that makes four… So, how about it?”
“…I see.”
Finally understanding, I quietly brought my right hand to my mouth, letting my thoughts churn.
…As I’d confirmed on the map earlier, both of their casino games were rated [☆1]. In terms of difficulty and danger, they weren’t bad for a tutorial.
(But if we split up here, Tatara and I would basically be acting separately… Waiting for the other group to finish would be too inefficient. And if that happens—)
“—It’s fine, Shinohara-kun.”
As if reading my thoughts, Tsumugi let out a soft chuckle.
Slipping his device into his pocket, he spoke in a mischievous tone.
“You heard Tatara-san’s speech, right? We’re not weak either. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure to earn our chips. Besides, it’d be frustrating to just let ‘one-man’ or whatever slide, you know.”
“No, that was…”
“I’m not holding a grudge or anything. But still, splitting up here is the better move. It’s more efficient—and we came here to win, didn’t we?”
Borrowing Tatara’s words, he said as much.
Beside him, Tatara, sporting adorable bunny ears, placed her right hand on her chest as if to say, “Leave it to me!”
…And so.
“Alright, then—Dealer, count us in for two.”
“Same here. Go easy on us, Dealer-san.”
We simultaneously submitted our entry requests to the two dealers.
——The place the dealer led us to already had about eight participants waiting.
The moment Himeji and I appeared, a few of them visibly tensed. Two students from District 8 Otowa, three from District 14 St. Rosalia, one from District 17 Amanezaka… and the remaining two were likely [Strangers]. They were chatting casually in laid-back street clothes.
At the center of the participants, the tuxedo-clad dealer spun around dramatically.
“Alright! Thanks to my enthusiastic recruiting, we’ve got enough players, so let’s get this game started! First, let’s set the stage—[Open Activation]!”
The moment she raised her device—slightly different in design from the ones used at Academy Island—and declared those words, a blinding light engulfed the entire area.
In a single word, it was the “deployment of an augmented reality (AR) world.”
The empty space transformed in an instant. A circular casino table now stood at the center of the participants, surrounded by dazzling lights and decorations filling the space above and around us.
As for the dealer, she gracefully perched on the edge of the table, her long legs stretched out.
With a smug smile, she continued.
“Deployment complete! …The players from Academy Island probably know this, but your devices are equipped with AR functions. By forcibly accessing them with dealer privileges, we can host casino games anytime, anywhere. Oh, and in this space, all languages are automatically translated! You can compete with anyone from around the world—pretty awesome, right!?”
Hopping off the table with a light tap, the blonde dealer picked up her black silk hat again, turned it upside down, and gave it a gentle shake on the table.
In that instant, as if by magic, three dice tumbled out of the hat with a clatter.
“Ahem, alright—let’s get to the rule explanation! The casino game I’m running, and the one you’ll all be playing, is called [Dice Macabre]! Some of you diligent folks might’ve checked the overview on the map already, but let’s go over the official rules!”
“First off! To put it simply, [Dice Macabre] is a game where you ‘predict the total of the dealer’s dice roll and call a number higher than that.’ Super easy!”
“The dealer—that’s me—has three six-sided dice, as you can see. When the game starts, I’ll roll all three dice a total of four times. That means the game ends after four sets.”
“Your job is to call a number higher than the total of my dice roll—but it’s not like you can just throw out huge numbers like a million or a billion! Why? Because the number you call is the number of chips you’re betting! And on top of that, the total chips you can bet across all four sets is capped at 50! So, the sum of the four numbers you call has to be 50 or less!”
“If your called number is higher than my roll, it’s a win for the players! I’ll give you chips equal to my roll. But if it’s the same or lower, it’s a big win for Dealer-chan! I’ll take the chips you called. Oh, and don’t worry, we settle the chips at the end. If you end up with even one chip in the positive, it counts as a ‘victory’… and any [Black Rings] you used during the game will be returned, so no worries there!”
“Now, a few detailed rules! I, the dealer, won’t roll all three dice at once. I’ll roll two first, then the last one after. You’ll choose your called number right before I roll the final die. It’s a system where you can gauge the rough total and then decide how many chips to bet!”
“But, since that might make it too easy for the players and kinda boring, there’s one more rule! If my roll is a triple—meaning all three dice show the same number—the total isn’t calculated by addition but by multiplication! For example, [3, 4, 5] would be [12] by addition, but [4, 4, 4] would be [64] by multiplication!”
“And that’s it for the rule explanation! …So, got the gist of it?”
Putting her now-empty silk hat back on, the dealer flashed a carefree smile.
[Dice Macabre]—the first casino game for Himeji and me. Players start with a maximum of 50 chips and make four calls. If your called number is higher than the dealer’s dice roll, the players win; if not, you lose. Since the total callable numbers across four sets can’t exceed 50, the key is how you distribute those numbers.
“Hm…”
Beside me, Himeji let out a faint breath, carefully analyzing the rules.
“When you roll a die with numbers 1 to 6 millions of times, the average value approaches [3.5], the total sum divided by 6. This is called the expected value. With three six-sided dice, the expected value of the dealer’s roll is [10.5]. So, if you always call [11] or higher, your win rate should be over 50%… right?”
“Yeah. And since the game only lasts four sets, even if you call [11] every time, the total won’t exceed 50.”
“Indeed. That makes it a fairly generous design. The maximum chips you can lose is capped at 50, so there’s no risk of a critical loss. On the flip side, it’s almost impossible to earn more than 50 chips with these rules…”
Saying that, Himeji pursed her lips slightly, looking a tad dissatisfied. …She was right about the low returns, but for this match, it’s probably best to treat it as a tutorial for Luna Island’s casino.
Unlike Academy Island’s “Duel Game,” it’s not “lose and you’re out,” but the format of steadily building up chips as a continuous asset is unlike any event I’ve participated in before. We need to approach this carefully.
“—Alright, how about everyone takes their seats at the table?”
At the dealer’s prompt, the participants began securing their spots at equal intervals along the circular table’s outer edge.
The moment everyone was in place—likely triggered by the dealer’s AR privileges—a faint hum sounded, and the reality before my eyes updated.
[Player Name: Hiroto Shinohara. Chip Count: 1,000 → 950]
[Casino Game “Dice Macabre” Begin]
(…Whoa.)
I couldn’t help but let out an impressed breath at the swiftly transformed scene. A towering stack of silver chips on the table. Masked players arranged in a semicircle. The atmosphere was undeniably thrilling, perfectly designed for immersion.
“Alright, perfect! Let’s kick things off with the first dice roll!”
Sensing our excitement, the blonde dealer, pulling down the brim of her silk hat, declared in an even more enthusiastic tone.
Next came the first dice roll—the start of the casino game [Dice Macabre].
(But… I’m pretty sure now’s not the time for me to make a move.)
As the other players swallowed hard, I calmly let my thoughts run.
…If I had to guess, someone in this group would probably “make a move” early on. [Dice Macabre] has relatively simple rules, which makes it easier to set traps. If that’s the case, jumping in from the first move would be risky. It’s better to observe the other participants’ actions and solidify my strategy from there.
(It’s the first match, so I’m a bit nervous, but…)
“…It’s alright, Master.”
The moment a faint trace of unease crossed my mind, Himeji whispered softly, just loud enough for me to hear.
When I glanced at her instead of replying, her clear emerald eyes and the softly curled cherry-pink cat-whisker cheek makeup came into view.
Then, with a slight smile, she said in a single breath:
“In a format like this, it’s surely your stage to shine, Master.”
Her voice was filled with quiet confidence.
“—The third die’s result is a 1! So, the second set is [3, 3, 1], totaling 7! Players who called a number higher than 7 win this round!”
Mid-game in the casino game [Dice Macabre].
As expected, you could say, but the game was starting to take a slightly unnatural turn.
No, it’s not like anything major was off—just one single point stood out, while everything else was within the realm of normal.
The dealer’s rolls were [4, 5, 4] for a total of 13 in the first set, and [3, 3, 1] for a total of 7 in the second.
Himeji and I clinched the first set with a maximum-value call—since [4, 5] was visible, [16] was a guaranteed win—and for the second set, factoring in the risk of a [3] triple, we called [0]. …That’s not exactly a strange strategy either. Calling [0] means no chip loss even if you lose, and it makes the other three sets easier.
So, that part was fine.
The issue was that one player had perfectly navigated the first two sets with calls of [14] and [8]—the lone student from District 17 Amanezaka, decked out in their uniform.
Dyed blue hair, flashy piercings, and bright orange sunglasses… a guy with a totally gaudy vibe. It could seem like incredible luck, but Luna Island has a system to turn “chance” into “certainty.”
(…[Black Ring], huh…)
Glancing at the jet-black ring placed in front of him, I recalled Enomoto’s explanation.
[Black Ring]—a “cheat item” circulated across Luna Island. Think of it like an ability from Academy Island, granting various effects when set on the casino table.
Unlike abilities, though, it’s primarily “movable.” As mentioned in [Dice Macabre]’s rules, any [Black Ring] used is taken if you lose the game. On the flip side, there are frequent opportunities to steal them from dealers or other players, so collecting these is a standard strategy for beginners.
By the way, the travel guidebook listed some “staple” rings, including:
[Number Build]—Changes the number on a card by up to 3.
[High Risk High Return]—Increases the number of chips bet at once by up to 10 times.
[Double Action]—Allows a “once-per-turn” action to be performed “twice.”
…And so on. These effects are indeed potent enough to overturn the luck-based elements of the game.
(Probably… but I bet that Amanezaka guy is using a [Black Ring] that ‘predicts the dealer’s roll.’ That way, he can win consistently without losing the ring.)
Staring at the table, I muttered inwardly.
To win every set, you’d need four of the same [Black Ring], but since they’re returned at settlement, there’s no reason to hesitate. It’s an obviously advantageous bet.
“Alright, let’s dive into the third set!”
While I was mulling this over, the game had already moved to the third set.
The two dice thrown by the blonde dealer bounced and spun randomly before coming to a stop. The current roll was [2, 4], totaling 6.
Even if the third die rolled a maximum of 6, a call of [13] would guarantee a win.
So, without much hesitation, I moved to lock in my call—when, at that moment,
“…Tch.”
I thought I heard a faint click of the tongue, and I subtly lifted my face.
The source was diagonally to my left—the Amanezaka playboy. Despite his usual carefree appearance, his expression seemed tinged with slight irritation.
And the stack of chips in front of him hadn’t budged—he hadn’t locked in his call yet. Even though his third ring was clearly set, he’d suddenly stalled at this moment.
(Why’s he hesitating now…? If he’s using a [Black Ring], he should know the dealer’s roll. Even if he’s being interfered with somehow, the max roll this time is 12. He could just call [13] and be done with it.)
His calls were [14] for the first set and [8] for the second, so he still had 28 chips left to bet. There was no reason for him to be annoyed—
(…No.)
A faint chill ran through me, and I decided to revisit [Dice Macabre]’s rules.
…Could it be? The reason a player who can predict the dealer’s roll would “hesitate” at this timing. If my guess was right, I could understand why he’d click his tongue.
(But… if that’s the case—)
—If that’s the case, I might be able to use it.
With that thought, I gave a subtle signal to Himeji beside me. I tapped the edge of the table lightly with my fingertips—ton, ton—and finalized my call without saying a word.
A few moments later, the data displayed on the table showed this:
[Player Name: Hiroto Shinohara – Call Amount: 22 Chips]
[Call Amounts: 22 Chips (1 person) / 13 Chips (6 people) / 0 Chips (3 people)]
…As expected, or rather, unsurprisingly, the most common call was [13], which guaranteed a win.
The [0] calls made sense given the earlier logic. The odd one out was me, calling [22], double the expected value.
And then,
“Okay! Some of you seem to be scheming something, but here comes the fateful result!”
With a cheerful tone, the dealer placed a jet-black, ornately decorated ring on the table.
The sudden appearance of a [Black Ring] caused a faint stir among the participants.
Without addressing the ring, she picked up the third die and tossed it in a slightly different way than before—clamping it between her index and middle fingers, twisting to give it a high-speed spin.
The die hit the table, spinning wildly and bouncing erratically, colliding with the two already-rolled dice without losing momentum. And it wasn’t just a collision—the two dice, knocked aside, began rolling again across the table.
“!? H-Hold on, Dealer-san!?”
The first to speak up was one of the [Stranger] pair, a woman who looked like a college student.
Waving her arms frantically, she protested to the dealer.
“You saw that, right!? The dice’s numbers just changed!”
“Yup! Changed, or rather, they’re still changing as we speak!”
“Yup!? No, no, that’s not okay! The rule is you roll two dice first, then the third after our calls… Doesn’t this make the match invalid!?”
“Eh, no way! I only said I’d ‘roll two dice first, then another after your calls are done.’ I never guaranteed the numbers were set the moment I rolled them. The dealer’s roll is, plain and simple, the three numbers facing up ‘in the end’!”
“Wha—!”
Flashing a mischievous grin, the dealer brushed off the protest.
…She was right. We’d misunderstood on our own—the rules stated as much.
The two numbers visible during the call phase were just a reference, not a finalized value.
And… a few seconds later, after its chaotic dance on the table, the third die showed [6].
The two dice that had been knocked aside also landed with [6] facing up.
“[6, 6, 6]—a critical triple! So, my roll is [216]!”
“““…!”””
“…Oh, and of course, this is the effect of my [Black Ring]! It’s called [Autopilot], and it lets me set the dice’s numbers freely!”
The participants fell silent, unable to respond to the blonde dealer, who’d just pulled off the game’s maximum roll.
They understood the situation had been flipped by a cheat item, but the suddenness left their minds struggling to catch up.
Scanning our stunned expressions, the dealer continued in a satisfied tone.
“Let’s see, the highest call was [22], right? No need to compare—this is my overwhelming victory! The third set is a loss for everyone—”
“—Hold on a second.”
But at that moment, I let a faint smirk curl my lips and deliberately interrupted her.
An action that forcibly halted the game’s progress.
As the dealer and all the participants turned their eyes toward me, I tapped the table lightly with my fingertip—ton.
There, unmistakably, sat a jet-black, ornately decorated ring.
“Sure, my call was [22]. It’s nowhere near your [216]. But don’t forget—we can use [Black Rings] too.”
“[Black Ring]? …Wait, you used one at this timing!? W-What is it!?”
“What? Simple—I knew you’d pull something here. The moment right before the final set, when players’ calls are at their sloppiest, is the perfect time to throw out a massive number. I could see it coming, whether you used a [Black Ring] or whatever.”
“…!”
“So, I decided to match you. A ring that multiplies the chips bet at once by up to 10 times—[High Risk High Return]. I maxed it out, so my call isn’t [22], it’s [220]. Even with your critical, you can’t beat that. Well, technically, it wasn’t me but Himeji who used the ring.”
“Yes. I assisted in my small way.”
…That’s right.
A few minutes ago, noticing the Amanezaka playboy’s hesitation, I realized the dealer was about to use some kind of [Black Ring] to throw out an unbeatable number.
With a signal, I had Himeji use the ring—[High Risk High Return], a cheat item that raises the betting cap to simulate a high-stakes game.
—Of course, that’s all a lie.
(Tch… This is our first match, you know? As if we’d have such a convenient ring lying around.)
While flashing a bold grin on the surface, I quietly sighed in relief inside.
Yes—my call being [220] was, plain and simple, a bluff.
I did pick up on the dealer’s intent from the playboy’s behavior, but against a number like [216], there’s normally no way to win.
However, in a game like [Dice Macabre], where you’d typically earn no more than 50 chips, this was a golden chance to rake in over 200 chips at once, plus the [Autopilot] ring.
Calling [0] to play it safe felt like a waste.
So, I secretly contacted “the Company” through Himeji and had them lift the “50-chip cap” restriction for this game.
By the way, the jet-black ring at my hand was just for show—it’d vanish the moment I waved my hand.
In the end, it was pure cheating.
But because Luna Island has [Black Rings]—because “cheat items” are part of the premise—it’s ironically harder to spot real cheating.
“Ah… ahh!”
The dealer, who’d planned to make a grand play, was left blinking in shock, her set stolen.
Gazing at her, Himeji, her silver hair swaying, whispered softly, as if to reiterate:
“I told you—in a format built on cheating like this, it’s your stage to shine, Master.”
In the end, [Dice Macabre] concluded without any further surprises.
The dealer didn’t seem to have prepared any rings besides [Autopilot], and for my part, having earned this much, I didn’t care how the fourth set went.
In the final set, now a true game of chance, the dealer’s dice showed [3, 2, 4] for a total of 9, and most players, including me, secured a safe victory.
The overall results of the casino game, in terms of chip balance, looked like this:
[“Dice Macabre” Total Balance: +238 Chips (Cumulative: 1,238 Chips)]
[Acquired Ring: Autopilot]
“…Not bad for a first match, I guess.”
Checking my info on the device, I gave a small shake of my head.
Peering at the same screen from beside me, Himeji nodded in her clear voice.
“Yes. Or rather, earning 200 chips in a game where chip movement is so limited is more than impressive. Even the dealer lady was shocked.”
“True. Though compared to the chips we need to earn in these three days, it’s a drop in the bucket.”
“That’s true… According to the records, last year’s [School Trip Battle Fortissimo], Amanezaka Academy, which took first place, had a total score of about 18 million chips. The individual top player, [Phantom]-sama, earned nearly 10 million chips in three days.”
“…That’s insane, no matter how you look at it.”
I muttered, my cheek twitching slightly. …10 million chips in three days. That’s enough to secure an S-rank area license on its own. 200 chips are barely a fraction.
At that moment, Himeji, as if recalling something, let her silver hair sway lightly.
“By the way… how did those [Stranger] folks fare?”
As she spoke, she gently brought her white-gloved right hand to her ear.
Recruiting [Strangers]—naturally, the main target is [Phantom], but under the rules of [School Trip Battle Fortissimo], there’s no limit to how many [Strangers] you can recruit.
As a check against other districts, and as a fallback if [Phantom] doesn’t join, finding strong [Strangers] is a critical point.
As Saionji said, [School Trip Battle Fortissimo] is a kind of treasure-hunting game. That’s why I’ve asked Kagaya-san to look into that side of things too.
But the voice coming through her earpiece sounded glum.
“Ugh… those two are no good. They barely have any rings, and they’re leaving Luna Island tomorrow. Also, players on [Phantom]’s level aren’t exactly common.”
“Yeah, figures…”
I nodded quietly, my shoulders slumping. [Phantom], or a [Stranger] on their level. Of course, such a rare gem wouldn’t be easy to find.
“Wait…”
At that point, my thoughts screeched to a halt. …Come to think of it,
Amanezaka Academy, home to Yumeno Misaki, has won [School Trip Battle Fortissimo] three years running with [Phantom]’s help.
And right now, there’s still one guy in an Amanezaka uniform lingering here.
“—Hey, you. Got a minute?”
And so, I decided to casually probe him by striking up a conversation.
The flashy guy, surprisingly, turned to face me quite openly.
Our eyes met through his gaudy sunglasses.
“Yo? What’s up… Wait, if it ain’t the strongest samurai of Academy Island! Congrats on that total domination earlier. No matter how you slice it, that was your win. Seriously unreal, man.”
“Hm… Was it? I just piggybacked on that 【Black Ring】 you used, that’s all.”
“Nah, that’s exactly why I’m sayin’ it’s god-tier, ya know? Honestly, I thought the best move for 【Dice Macabre】 was ‘reading the dealer’s roll.’”
“But then you went and flipped the script with that brute-force ‘never-lose number’ play, totally wrecking the dealer’s side. And just when I’m thinkin’, ‘Damn, this guy’s insane,’”
“you use my reaction as a stepping stone to outplay the dealer even more. Total GG, man. Geez, what 【Ring】 should I try next…”
His gaze dropped to the list of 【Black Rings】 displayed on his device, his right hand ruffling his blue hair as he muttered those words.
Despite his casual tone and attitude, there was something about him that screamed formidable skill.
He was already analyzing his defeat calmly, his thoughts shifting to the “next” move.
Contrary to his appearance, he was a legit player through and through.
By the way, the player name projected in the augmented reality (AR) field of vision…
was Glasses.
“…Those sunglasses, you wear ’em all the time or what?”
“Too rockin’, right? These are Luna Island’s masks. You’re wearin’ one too, yeah?”
“Hm… Is that so? Then why’s your player name Glasses?”
“Name’s Yagura Ryūji, but they call me Glasses. Amanezaka Second Year, 5-Star. Nice to meetcha.”
He slid his sunglasses down with a finger, flashing a grin while showing his bare face—Glasses, or rather, Yagura.
Didn’t expect Glasses to be his everyday nickname, though.
Well, anyway.
“So, Yagura, got a question… You know about 【Phantom】, right?”
“…【Phantom】?”
The moment I said that word, Yagura’s eyebrow twitched slightly above his sunglasses.
He pressed his index finger against his temple, grinding it as he continued.
“C’mon, that’s too easy. 【Phantom】, as in, the English word, yeah?”
“Correct… No, I mean 【Phantom】-sama of the 【Strangers】.”
Himeji, smoothly handling Yagura’s quip, let her cat whiskers bristle with caution for just a moment—probably because he was a stranger of the opposite sex.
But soon, she spoke in her usual polite tone.
“Every year, they’re said to lend their strength to Amanezaka Academy… but this year, you haven’t made contact yet, have you? Or perhaps you’re keeping it under wraps and already have…?”
“Ohhh, I get it. So you guys are schemin’ to maybe snag ’em as an ally for the 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】 victory, huh? Damn, that’s some next-level deduction!”
“Yes, exactly. I don’t expect to get any useful hints, but I figured I’d try.”
“Straight-up honest, huh? Well, 【Phantom】… I ain’t met ’em in person, but I know of ’em, yeah?”
“They’re the badass casino master who’s been breakin’ consecutive stay records on this island, with over 300 million chips total.”
“Word is, they’re strong enough to win 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】 solo. And yeah, they were supposed to be helpin’ us Amanezaka folks out, but…”
“But?”
“No response, man. Got a contact for 【Phantom】 from a senior a while back, been tryin’ to reach ’em for hours—even before we Amanezaka peeps landed on Luna Island—but zilch.”
“Dunno what others think, but I’m bettin’ they bailed, plain and simple.”
“Bailed? Bailed from what?”
“Oh? Even the great you doesn’t know that much, huh? Welp, can’t say more then. Get flamed as a traitor, and I’m screwed.”
“Yo!” With a light shout, Yagura hopped up, standing with a small jump.
He adjusted his sunglasses again, turning to me with a deeper grin.
“Anyway, that’s the deal. 【Phantom】’s refusin’ to team up with us Amanezaka folks for now.”
“Which means, flip side, now’s your best shot to scout ’em, right? The big fish of this island ain’t been hooked yet.”
“Bet they’d bite if you dangled the right bait.”
“Bait, huh… You sure it’s cool to spill all that? If 【Phantom】 doesn’t join up, you Amanezaka guys are the ones in trouble.”
“Nah, not really. Havin’ someone like that just makes things easier, but we ain’t the type to cheer for someone else’s spotlight.”
“We wanna stand out, simple as that. The district prelims dragged on so long we barely got to shine in 【Astral】 or 【SFIA Sphere】, so now we’re goin’ all out to make up for it.”
“…”
“And for that, it’s actually better if 【Phantom】 ain’t around, yeah? Lemme tell ya somethin’ good, Academy Island’s strongest—unlike your one-man team, everyone at Amanezaka’s strong.”
“Might be the end of your reign here.”
“…Hah, bring it on.”
To Yagura’s close-range taunt, I shot back a fearless smirk, returning his provocation.
What exactly is 【Phantom】 “running” from, and who even are they? My questions only grew, but at least it’s good news they’re not in contact with Amanezaka.
(One step forward, I guess…)
Watching Yagura’s back as he walked away, I let out a quiet breath.
♯
‘—Yup, that’s right.’
‘Nobody’s reported finding 【Phantom】-san yet.’
‘And there hasn’t been anyone saying they’ve met a 【Stranger】 with a ton of 【Rings】 either.’
‘I swear on my title as class rep!’
“…Hmmm…”
Some time after finishing the first match on Luna Island, 【Dice Macabre】.
Having played a couple of casino games to get a feel for things and slightly boosted my chip count, I was staring at my device, letting out a glum sound.
I was looking at a chat screen with Tatara.
The 2-A class rep, who loves meddling in others’ business, was managing multiple chat groups under the guise of gathering intel for 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】.
I’d borrowed her platform to ask if anyone in Eimei had already made contact with 【Phantom】, but as you can see, the results weren’t promising.
“If Tatara’s saying this, then probably no one in Eimei’s found them.”
“Could be they’re just really good at hiding their identity, though…”
“Indeed. However, this time, we were supposed to report not just 【Phantom】-sama but any 【Stranger】 holding a large number of 【Rings】.”
“Since no one’s been found under those conditions, they might genuinely not be participating in any games.”
“Yeah… By the way, how’s Kagaya-san doing?”
Nodding at Himeji’s addition, I tapped the earpiece in my right ear and asked.
A familiar voice came back through faint static—
‘Ngh… No dice. Been searching a wide range, narrowing it to devices not made by Academy Island, but no 【Stranger】 that feels like 【Phantom】-kun’s showing up.’
‘Maybe their device is powered off. If that’s the case, I’m out of luck.’
“Got it… What about cameras?”
‘Security cameras? Well, yesterday, Tsumu-tsumu and I broke through Luna Island’s security and got control of most of the cameras, but since we don’t know what they look like, there’s no way to search…’
“Sorry, Hiro-kyun,” Kagaya-san said apologetically.
Shaking my head slightly, I brought my right hand to my mouth.
(Well… if 【Phantom】 really doesn’t plan to join this year’s 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】, that’s fine by me.)
(It’d break Amanezaka’s dominance, and if we’re looking for another 【Stranger】, 【Company】’s support would come into play.)
(The other insurance plan’s starting to move too, so the conditions aren’t bad. Of course, that’s assuming 【Phantom】 stays missing until the end…)
And—just as my thoughts reached that point.
“…Hm?”
My device suddenly vibrated, and I furrowed my brow slightly.
A call notification popped up, the caller’s name reading Fuwa Mitsuru.
A second-year from District 7 Shinra High School, a 5-Star who, along with his twin sister Fuwa Sumire, owns a Unique Star as “two as one.”
He’s also a member of the shady organization 【Albion】, alongside Kirigaya Tōya.
We’d cooperated briefly during 【SFIA Sphere】, but fundamentally, he’s an enemy.
Ignoring him would be a hassle, though—so, after a deep breath, I tapped the screen, putting the call on speaker so Himeji could hear.
“Hello, it’s me, Shinohara. You’re… Mitsuru, right?”
‘Yup, that’s me, Shinohara-kun. Fuwa Mitsuru, District 7 Shinra High School.’
‘Been a while since the final battle of 【SFIA Sphere】, huh? Glad I wasn’t completely forgotten.’
Mitsuru opened with a greeting laced with sarcasm.
Then, in his usual calm tone, he cut to the chase.
‘Hey, Shinohara-kun. I’ve got something I want to show you. Can you come to the gaming district now? It’s not too far, probably.’
“Hm… That’s a pretty blatant trap for an invitation. You think I’d fall for that?”
‘Haha. What, you’re wary of us? Only second-years can join 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】, so naturally, Tōya-san from Shinra isn’t here.’
“You guys alone are plenty worth watching out for. I know you’re tricky opponents.”
‘…I see.’
For some reason, Mitsuru’s voice sounded faintly pleased at my response.
Then,
‘Well… that’s all I wanted to say. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to, but you’ll probably regret it later.’
‘After all, I’m only saying this out of goodwill.’
“Goodwill…? Nah, no way. If that’s true, you’re saying you’re giving me info in the middle of 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】 with no benefit to yourself.”
‘Oh, no, that’s not quite it. There’s definitely a benefit.’
Pausing to take a small breath, Mitsuru continued quietly from the other side of the device.
‘After all, we want to beat you this time, Shinohara-kun. We want to defeat the strongest 7-Star, get recognized by Tōya-san, and frankly, make her jealous.’
‘We want to say we took down the Shinohara-kun she was so obsessed with beating before she could.’
“…”
‘So, I don’t really want to play coy and hide our hand. It’ll come out eventually anyway… so it’s way better to claim it ourselves.’
‘Shinra’s the one who gained the upper hand in 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】. We’re the ones who found the secret weapon.’
“…Secret weapon? You don’t mean—”
‘—Haha. We’ll be waiting, Shinohara-kun.’
The moment I bit at his bait, Mitsuru’s voice took on a teasing lilt, and he promptly ended the call.
He spoke as if he was certain I’d show up—and the basis for that confidence was surely the term “secret weapon.”
In the context of 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】 and Luna Island, the only person fitting that description is 【Phantom】.
Thinking that, I pulled up the coordinate data Mitsuru sent and plotted it on the map.
As he’d said, it wasn’t too far.
And—despite my show of suspicion during the call—the chance of this being a “trap” was low.
If they were going for a surprise attack, they’d be more subtle.
“…No choice, then. Guess I’ll go check it out.”
“Yes. I’ll accompany you, Master.”
Confirming there was no reason to refuse, we reluctantly started moving.
—Luna Island, western gaming district, Drilling Site.
A vibrant area lined with entertainment spots: arcades filled with unfamiliar machines, a board game café the size of a small library, and a chic darts bar, among others.
Despite getting sidetracked by the lively clamor, Himeji and I finally reached the designated spot.
There, a single casino game was underway.
“Game name: 【Quadruple】…”
Himeji murmured softly, her silver hair swaying as she gazed at the crowd from a distance.
“I had Kagaya-san look into the basics of the casino game being held there.”
“Skipping the fine details, it’s essentially a variant of blackjack.”
“Blackjack… The one where the closest to 【21】 wins, right?”
“Yes, that blackjack. 【Quadruple】 is an expanded version.”
“Each player gets two cards, while the dealer gets four.”
“Players then pair up with another player to get their combined hand as close to 【33】 as possible.”
“In blackjack, you can draw additional cards to increase your total, but in 【Quadruple】, you do this through ‘pairing’ and then making ‘additional bets’ to boost the number.”
“Of course, if you exceed 【33】, it’s an instant bust.”
Himeji finished her cool, concise explanation of the rules.
Casino game 【Quadruple】—a game where you aim to get the combined value of your cards and your partner’s as close to 【33】 as possible.
Alongside the core blackjack gameplay, it incorporates complex elements like partner selection and chip-based number adjustments.
Naturally, its risk assessment is 【☆4, somewhat high】.
But that’s exactly why something felt off.
“Hmm… I thought Mitsuru was talking about 【Phantom】.”
“If he wanted to ‘show off overwhelming strength,’ this game doesn’t quite fit.”
“Indeed. In standard blackjack, strategies like doubling down when the same number appears or treating an Ace as 【1】 or 【11】 naturally create a range of tactics.”
“For advanced players, counting—memorizing flipped cards to predict the next likely draw—is also viable.”
“But…”
“Yeah. 【Quadruple】 strips all that away, and you don’t even know your partner’s hand until the end, right?”
“That means carelessly boosting your number can easily overshoot 【33】. Even 【Rings】 seem tough to use effectively.”
“Yes… This may sound rude, but this isn’t the kind of game we should be participating in.”
“At least, I can’t see any path to victory.”
Himeji’s cat whiskers drooped limply as she shook her head weakly.
…Well, she’s pretty much right.
With others involved, it inevitably retains elements of a luck-based game, and it’s easy for players to drag each other down.
Dominating with this rule set is beyond human capability.
(The secret weapon wasn’t 【Phantom】…?)
Feeling a bit unsatisfied, Himeji and I decided to get a little closer to the crowd.
From afar, it looked like an open café, but as we approached, our vision shifted with a whoosh.
An AR casino space surrounded by flashy decorations… Apparently, the dealer’s authority could pull even spectators into it.
The moment I was briefly distracted by that fact—
‘…Fifteenth round, concluded. The winners are as follows…!’
A trembling voice, likely the dealer’s, echoed around us.
At the same time, a projection in the center of the table displayed the chip movements so far.
Of the twenty players, ten were in the positive, ten in the negative—a seemingly neat split.
But looking closer, the losing players were consistently down by thousands of chips, while the winners were only up by 100 or 200 at most.
Only one person was clearly “profiting.” All the lost chips were funneling to a single player.
【Overall Leader—Player Name “Phantom” / +6408 Chips (15 Rounds, 15 Wins)】
(…Huh?)
Seeing that data, I gaped internally.
Fifteen rounds, fifteen wins? In a luck-based game like this?
It’d be more believable if they said all the participants were in on it, but scanning the table, every player was glaring at one person with frustration or faint fear.
They didn’t look like accomplices by any stretch.
“—Pretty amazing, right?”
As I silently mulled it over, a whisper-like question hit my ear.
Almost simultaneously, a pair—a boy and a girl—appeared before us.
A delicate, pretty boy and a fragile-looking beauty with fluffy long hair, both sporting festival masks symmetrically perched on their heads.
They were none other than District 7 Shinra’s 5-Stars, Fuwa Mitsuru and Fuwa Sumire.
Standing in front of Himeji and me, they each flashed a smile.
“Been a while, Shinohara-kun, Himeji-san. And thanks for actually coming.”
“I was a bit nervous thinking we’d get ignored after that call—it’d have bummed me out.”
“Yeah, yeah! I was super nervous too! Getting to see Hiroto and the witchy maid again makes today just wonderful!”
“…Is that so? I’m honored.”
Thrown off internally by Sumire’s usual disorienting enthusiasm, I let out a faint sigh before responding.
Waiting for Himeji to give a polite bow beside me, I turned my gaze back to the game—specifically, to him—and continued.
“So? The thing you wanted to show me is him, right?”
“Yup. Figured you’re looking for him too, Shinohara-kun, so I thought I’d be a little nice.”
Mitsuru’s expression, as he said this, was an ambiguous smile, almost smug.
He turned toward the table, mimicking my stance, and spoke in a faintly proud tone.
“You’ve probably figured it out, but that’s him—Player Name 【Phantom】, Luna Island’s strongest 【Stranger】.”
“He’s got an overwhelming number of 【Black Rings】, with over 300 million chips total.”
“He’s the anomaly who’s led Amanezaka Academy to victory in 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】 three years running.”
“Exactly, exactly! Every year, all sorts of districts try to recruit him, only to get shot down spectacularly!”
“I know all about it—since he never budges and is just too strong, they call him Luna Island’s ‘Untouchable 【Phantom】’!”
“Untouchable, huh. That’s quite the title… But, Sumire-sama.”
At that, Himeji, her silver hair swaying, turned to Sumire with a serious expression.
“If 【Phantom】-sama is truly ‘untouchable’—meaning he never accepts invitations from anyone but Amanezaka Academy—then there’d be no reason for you two to summon Master here.”
“There’d be no secret weapon to flaunt. Which means, could it be…?”
“—Yup, exactly. That’s right.”
Murmuring to cut off Himeji’s question, Mitsuru’s smile deepened quietly.
“Surprised? Like Himeji-san said, he—【Phantom】—is lending his strength to us Shinra right now.”
“As the 【Stranger】 slot for 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】.”
“…”
“Haha… Even you were aiming for him, right, Shinohara-kun? The ultimate secret weapon joker in 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】.”
“And it wasn’t Eimei or Amanezaka who nabbed him—it was us, Shinra.”
“Yes! A huge victory, a huge victory! Our win is guaranteed!”
The two declared triumphantly.
In response, I grimaced slightly inwardly.
“…Oh? If that’s true, that’s quite the feat. What kind of trick did you pull?”
“Nothing as fancy as a trick. Sumire can read people’s emotions from their expressions and gestures.”
“It’s just a ‘vague’ sense, but as long as they’re rattled, we can press them as much as we want.”
“That’s how we figured out his ‘true identity’—and the reason he was trying to skip 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】 this year.”
“Trying to skip 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】…?”
Catching on a detail in Mitsuru’s words, I brought my right hand to my mouth.
The flashy Amanezaka guy earlier had also said 【Phantom】 “bailed.”
So, he had some reason for not wanting to join this year’s 【School Trip Battle Fortissimo】, and Mitsuru and Sumire overturned that early on? Used it to their advantage?
(If that’s the case… this is bad. They’ve beaten us to it.)
Staring at the two in front of me, I clenched my fist tightly.
Sumire, who can sharply read emotions, and Mitsuru, who uses that info to make optimal moves—these tricky opponents from 【SFIA Sphere】 were set to block our path again.
And this time, they’d snatched the strongest 【Stranger】 every district was after.
At that moment.
‘…Game set!’
A loud stir came from the casino table.
Glancing over instinctively, I saw the dealer, pale as a sheet, timidly raising their right hand.
‘T-Twentieth round… concluded. Since the set number of rounds has passed, I’d like to, um, confirm everyone’s intent to continue.’
‘Those who wish to keep playing, press the “Call” button on your device. Those who want to leave, press “Fold”—’
“…Tch, I’m done! No way I’m sticking with this!”
“Who’d keep playing this game?! Give me my chips back, idiot!”
“Seriously, the worst… Nobody told me there’d be someone this strong in a C-rank area.”
‘—R-Right, got it! As expected! With the majority choosing to leave, 【Quadruple】 is hereby concluded! Great work, everyone!!’
The dealer, in a desperate tone, tossed their silk hat into the air.
At that instant, the “casino space” around us dissolved like an illusion.
Luna Island’s cityscape returned to view, and the spectator gallery dispersed, buzzing excitedly about the game…
But in stark contrast, the 【Quadruple】 participants remained frozen in place.
“““…”””
Their gazes were fixed on one boy—the player 【Phantom】, wearing a pure white mask that hid his entire face.
The game was over, but opening the device revealed the staggering record he’d left behind.
Ten wins would be impressive, and a plus of 2000 chips would be exceptional… but he’d achieved something incomprehensible.
【Overall Leader—Player Name “Phantom” / +14098 Chips (20 Rounds, 20 Wins)】
【New Record for Most Consecutive Wins / Most Chips / Fastest Game End…】
“…Beyond comprehension.”
Himeji Shirayuki murmured softly, staring at the data.
Even without her cat whiskers, her genuine shock was clear as she swallowed hard and continued.
“【Quadruple】 is a 【☆4】 risk-assessed game. The betting rates are slightly higher than the casino games we’ve played so far, but even so, the stakes per round are only a few hundred chips.”
“Earning over ten thousand chips in that…”
“Hm… Yeah, no kidding.”
Himeji’s shaken reaction was understandable.
For example, in the first match, 【Dice Macabre】, I’d earned just over 200 chips—a near-best reward for that game.
But 【Phantom】 had racked up nearly seventy times that amount in no time.
“Wow… Incredible, incredible!”
“…Yup. Impressive skill, 【Phantom】.”
In contrast to Himeji and me, struck silent by the shock, the Fuwa siblings headed toward 【Phantom】 with words of praise.
Mitsuru nodded several times with a satisfied look, while Sumire, beaming, grabbed 【Phantom】’s hand and shook it vigorously.
“I’m moved! You’re really strong, aren’t you? Just as Mitsuru expected!”
“…Whatever. This is nothing special.”
“No, it’s not nothing, not at all! You’re absolutely extraordinary!”
“Cut it out… This isn’t talent or effort. It’s just a stupid cheat.”
Pausing there, 【Phantom】 glanced briefly at us.
Seemingly a bit bothered by the presence of outsiders, he soon shook his head impassively and continued.
“I’ve been on this island a long time… so I have most of the 【Black Rings】 that exist here.”
“With this many 【Rings】, anyone could be the ‘strongest,’ not just me.”
“So many?! That’s amazing, amazing! What kind of effects do your 【Rings】 have?”
“Huh? …Well, all sorts. Swapping my hand at will, swapping the dealer’s hand, peeking at all players’ hands, freely adjusting the stakes, temporarily changing the game rules…”
“Depending on the situation, the options are endless. With those rules, I could’ve won no matter what hand I got.”
“So, it’s not like it’s my achievement.”
【Phantom】 said, quietly shaking his head.
His white mask made it hard to read his expression, but his voice didn’t sound proud of his feats.
It felt negative, or perhaps… oddly strained.
In any case—brushing off Sumire’s praise, he turned calmly to Mitsuru beside him.
“So, that’s how I fight… If you’ve got complaints, feel free to cancel our earlier deal. What’s it gonna be?”
“No way, cancel? Absolutely not. We definitely want your help, 【Phantom】.”
“With your cooperation, Shinra won’t lose to anyone.”
“…Really? You’re sure you’re okay with me? Things are different this year compared to last.”
“Like I said before, I’m steering clear of any game Saionji Sarasa is in.”
(…Saionji Sarasa?)
“Yeah, I’m fine with those terms. Even I’m scared to face the 《Empress》.”
While listening to the conversation between Tsumugi and 【Phantom】 nearby, I quietly furrow my brow.
“Saionji Sarasa” — a name that holds immense significance for me, belonging to the granddaughter of the current Academy Island chairman.
With fiery red hair and strong-willed ruby eyes, she’s an undefeated 6-star ultra-VIP whispered to be the 《Empress》.
However, she carries a certain significant “lie,” and because of that, she and I, the “false 7-star,” share a sort of accomplice relationship.
And… 【Phantom】 is supposedly “fleeing” from Saionji, or so it’s said.
(Wait… what’s that supposed to mean? Is there some kind of connection between 【Phantom】 and Saionji?
But 【Phantom】 has been on this island for at least three years.
Three years ago means it was long before Saionji’s “substitution” began… there’s no way they could’ve had contact.)
In an instant, various speculations race through my mind — but, I see.
Perhaps I’ve been mistaken about something.
Since they’re a 【Stranger】, I assumed 【Phantom】 was a player unrelated to Academy Island, but that’s not necessarily true.
I hadn’t considered the possibility of a 【Stranger】 who was once enrolled at Academy Island.
But — well, be that as it may, I have no choice but to admit that my initial goal of “recruiting 【Phantom】” has already ended in failure.
The strongest 【Stranger】 on Luna Island has been taken by Shinra.
Now that it’s come to this, I need to come up with another plan quickly.
“…Master.”
“Yeah… I’ve prepared insurance for the worst-case scenario, but for now, we have no choice but to thoroughly search for 【Strangers】 other than 【Phantom】.
And to find a powerful 【Stranger】, we need to get to a B-rank or higher area as soon as possible — which means…”
“Yes. …Let’s earn as much as we can, no matter the means.”
With our escape route cut off, Himeji and I exchange a solemn nod.
♯
Luna Island has a concept called Jackpot Time.
It’s like a “once-a-day high-stakes battle.”
Normally, players with fewer than 100,000 chips don’t have the license to enter B-rank or higher areas — meaning they can only participate in relatively low-stakes games.
But Jackpot Time is an exception.
B-to-A-rank equivalent casino games are held in C-rank areas.
Of course, with higher stakes, the risk of a critical loss from a devastating defeat increases.
But to earn a massive amount of chips in just three days and to meet a powerful 【Stranger】, reaching a B-rank area as soon as possible is the minimum requirement.
So, even if the risk is high, Jackpot Time is unavoidable.
“By the way…”
Walking beside me, Himeji softly places her right hand near her ear, letting out a faint, transparent voice.
“Luna Island seems to publish various statistical data, and according to it, fewer than 20% of visitors manage to reach the B-rank area.
If you add the condition of doing so within three days, it’s less than 3%… quite a low probability, isn’t it?”
“Yeah… so, how many chips did Enomoto and Akizuki get last year?”
“Yes. Enomoto-sama earned 1.12 million chips, Asamiya-sama 1.03 million, and Akizuki-sama 1.25 million.
It seems that earning the ‘1 million chips’ required to gain a license for the A-rank area was a target benchmark for top players.”
“I see, 1 million chips, huh…”
I nod slightly at Himeji’s response.
That puts into perspective just how extraordinary 【Phantom】’s record of “10 million chips” from last year truly is.
Anyway — September 19th, 6:50 PM.
Himeji and I were visiting the location designated for Jackpot Time on our terminals.
A corner of the C-rank area, a sandy beach district near the seaside.
As a cool breeze brushes against my skin, a large crowd of hopeful participants has already gathered.
That said, it’s not like thousands of academy district members are swarming the place.
Jackpot Time, where massive amounts of chips are at stake, is tightly regulated by Luna Island, limiting participation to four people per group.
Because of this, only high-rankers from each academy district are showing their faces.
“Mmm… Stalker-san, spotted. Encounter rate, way too high… I wish they’d at least turn into a girl.”
The first to speak, lifting sleepy eyes, was Minami Shizuku, with blue short hair and wolf-ear hood — probably her “mask.”
She’s the ace of the 14th District St. Rosalia Girls’ Academy, long hiding her true strength as the 《Blue Flame of Serenity》.
She finally achieved a promotion to 6-star status through the summer exchange tournament 《SFIA》.
“Oh! If it isn’t the sweets boy! You seem as robust as ever, which is great to see.
I’m delighted we can face each other again in the 《Duel Game》 arena, hmm!”
And beside Minami, flashing a wooden sword at her waist, was Kururugi Senri.
The overwhelming ace of the 16th District Tsuyuri Girls’ Academy, known across Academy Island as the 《War Goddess Shrine Maiden》.
On the battlefield, “run if you see her” is the motto, especially in one-against-many 《Duel Games》, where she has no equal.
Her mask is a black cloth covering her mouth — like a ninja’s.
At that moment, perhaps noticing my wary gaze, Minami slightly shook her blue hair.
“N… Kururugi-chan, Kururugi-chan. Stalker-san’s been staring at Kururugi-chan for a while… probably lusting.
He’s bewitched by Kururugi-chan’s charm, in great danger…”
“Mmm? I-Is that so? If that’s the case, it’s an honor, but… I am, after all, a woman of Tsuyuri.
I must remain chaste at least until graduation.”
“Right… so, Kururugi-chan can’t let herself be swayed by Stalker-san.
As for me, I’m safe and secure… since I’m a girl, it doesn’t count. We can get close, and it’s fine…”
“…? Oh, of course, I already consider you a friend, Shizuku-dono…”
“N… Kururugi-chan is pure and a good girl…”
Minami nods repeatedly, looking satisfied, as Kururugi speaks earnestly.
Their overly intimate exchange gives me a faint sense of unease, and I tilt my head slightly.
“You guys are enemies, right…? Since when did you get so chummy?”
“Fufun… Stalker-san is surprisingly clueless. If you’re curious, just check your terminal…”
“…Terminal?”
Slightly irritated by her nonchalant taunt, I glance at the screen as instructed.
Accessing Minami Shizuku’s activity log on a whim, I find a shocking fact recorded there.
[September 19th, 5:11 PM — Alliance Formed]
[In this year’s grade-based competition 《School Trip Battle Forteitsumo》, the 14th District St. Rosalia Girls’ Academy and the 16th District Tsuyuri Girls’ Academy will be treated as a “Joint Academy District.”]
[The district average will be calculated by combining the students of both academies, and the selection of the top five will also be based on integrated data from both districts.
However, only one 【Stranger】 can be mobilized, and the reward distribution in case of victory will be split equally regardless of student numbers or contribution.]
(! …Seriously, this!?)
I let out an internal scream before finishing reading the entry.
A Joint Academy District — a bold strategy where the final reward is halved, but the “top five” in the overall score of the 《School Trip Battle Forteitsumo》 can be dominated by the top players of the two academies.
Since it’s not something we at Eimei are allowed to do, I had no way of knowing, but it’s true that both St. Rosalia and Tsuyuri are districts led by a single absolute ace.
It’s a perfectly viable option.
Shaking her black ponytail, Kururugi turns to me and continues in a serious tone.
“When I was first invited, I intended to refuse for the sake of Tsuyuri’s honor…
But Shizuku-dono convinced me of the benefits, and I was completely won over.
Realistically, it’s difficult for Tsuyuri to secure a solo victory in the upper block right now.
So, I’ll take the practical route, even if it means forming an alliance.”
“Fufun… Now Kururugi-chan is mine.
I’ll have her introduce me to lots of Tsuyuri girls… No matter how you look at it, it’s a total win.
I can hear Stalker-san’s teeth grinding…”
“That’s just your imagination.”
“Your bravado is pointless… And this time, I’m seriously going for the win.”
Facing Minami, whose languid demeanor hides a flickering flame, I quietly clench my fist.
…Whatever the circumstances, the alliance between St. Rosalia and Tsuyuri has already been formed.
In other words, a terrifying 6-star duo of Minami Shizuku and Kururugi Senri has been born in this 《School Trip Battle Forteitsumo》.
Two 6-stars are on par with even Ouka.
Just as my thoughts reach that point… that very moment.
“—As expected, you’re here, Shinohara.”
As my conversation with Minami and the others concludes, a voice calls out from behind.
I know who it is without even looking, but I steel myself and turn around — there, as expected, are members of Ouka.
A group of four elite boys and girls, led by Saionji and Fujishiro.
“Fufu…”
As if representing the group, Saionji brushes back her luxurious red hair and lightly places her right hand near her face.
When I glance up, I notice she’s wearing red-framed glasses, unlike her usual look — probably her Luna Island casino mask.
It makes her look even smarter while giving off a “trying to look stylish” vibe, which, well, is ridiculously cute and suits her perfectly.
Anyway, with her usual gesture of crossing her arms at her chest, Saionji continues.
“Should I start with my condolences? For both of us, I suppose.”
“…What’re you talking about?”
“What, you ask? Isn’t it obvious? That.”
As she speaks, Saionji flicks her ruby eyes to the side.
Following her gaze, I see a lone boy standing a short distance away.
A 【Stranger】 wearing a white mask — none other than 【Phantom】.
He’s already registered as a collaborator with Shinra and the others, but there’s no sign of Tsumugi or Sumire nearby.
Perhaps a sign of his confidence that he’s enough on his own?
Letting out a faint sigh, Saionji shrugs slightly.
“I never imagined he’d be snatched up by another district so quickly.
I had Lily track his movements, but it all went to waste.”
“Well, I agree on that one. But knowing you, you’ve already moved on, right?”
“Obviously. Recruiting 【Phantom】 would’ve made winning easier, but it’s not like we can’t win without him.
If anything, I’m thrilled he’s joining the same game.
I’m looking forward to what kind of ring we’ll get if we win.”
With a confident smirk, Saionji says as much.
(Wait… huh?)
At that moment, a faint doubt crosses my mind, and I quietly bring my right hand to my mouth.
…I was just listening from the sidelines, but didn’t 【Phantom】 say he was terrified of Saionji?
He said he’d flee the moment he had to join the same game as her.
Still, there’s too little information to make any guesses, so I end up shaking my head quietly.
“…Ah! Shinohara-kun, Shirayuki-chan, over here, over here!”
At any rate, we finally managed to rendezvous with the Eimei group.
As expected, there were Tsumugi and Tatara.
With a slightly tired expression softened into a smile, Tatara bounces energetically despite the evening — various parts of her are jiggling, but I’ll focus on her bunny ears — and turns toward us.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, you two. The last game dragged on… and we got tangled up with a bunch of people.”
“No, it’s totally fine! We just got here early, and the dealer hasn’t even shown up yet.
I got a little nervous being watched by everyone, though…”
“No, no, you were mostly hiding behind me, weren’t you, Tatara-san?
I get wanting to avoid all that attention, but… how do you handle it, Shinohara-kun?”
“Handle it? I’m just used to it.”
Any resistance to being the center of attention was long gone the moment I declared myself the “strongest” to all of Academy Island on my first day as a transfer student.
Or rather, given my position, I have to be noticed.
Most people probably don’t share that premise.
“Oh, um… so, Shinohara-kun.”
As I’m thinking that, Tatara in front of me twitches her bunny ears.
“About 【Strangers】 other than 【Phantom】… you know, players with a ton of chips or 【Black Rings】.”
“? Did you find someone?”
“Yeah. It’s not solid info yet, but… look at this.”
As she speaks, Tatara holds up her terminal screen with both hands for me to see.
It’s displaying Eimei’s information-gathering chat.
The group where I’d been asking for info on 【Strangers】… and there, a rather intriguing post had been submitted.
[‘—Tatara-chan, Tatara-chan, report!’]
[‘It wasn’t someone named 【Phantom】 or anything, but there was a weird guy!’]
[’They were, like, insanely strong! Their foresight was amazing, they used 【Black Rings】 without hesitation, and they had this kingly aura!
Their player name was, I think, 【Violet】 or something… based on their voice and mannerisms, probably a super cute girl.’]
[’And the crazy thing is, they haven’t been on Luna Island for days or anything.
They started playing at the casino yesterday evening… so, in just one day, they collected dozens, maybe hundreds, of rings.
Insane, right? We went up against them earlier, but we were completely helpless.’]
[’There’s also a 【Stranger】 called something like 【Jet-Black Demon King】 who’s been standing out a bit, but details are still unclear.
For now, the one to watch is 【Violet】!!’]
[‘So, what do you think!? Isn’t this super intriguing?!?!’]
“…Right?”
As I finish reading the series of messages, Tatara lets out a breathy comment.
“They might not be on 【Phantom】’s level, but it sounds like they have a ton of 【Black Rings】, and they seem legitimately strong… What do you think?”
“Yeah, sounds good. We can try recruiting as many people as we want, so we should pull them in before other districts notice.
Anyone free… might be tough, but maybe send someone who’s already out due to a critical loss—”
“Yup! I figured you’d say that, so I already sent someone to track them down.”
I give a slight smile and nod to Tatara, who nods back confidently. “Nice work.”
With the strongest 【Stranger】, 【Phantom】, already taken by Shinra, a player with a massive amount of rings is a prime candidate for recruitment.
(Player name 【Violet】, huh…)
Filing away the info on a 【Stranger】 who might rival 【Phantom】, I shake my head slightly.
No use counting chickens before they hatch — for now, I need to focus on the game.
And so — September 19th, 7:00 PM sharp.
[‘Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience—’]
With the dealer’s announcement appearing out of nowhere, Jackpot Time began.
—【Monopoly Roulette】.
The game’s name, declared by the gentlemanly dealer, was deceptively simple.
Roulette is a form of gambling — a disk with evenly spaced colors and numbers where the dealer throws a ball, and players bet on where it’ll land.
Players can bet in various ways: on red, black, or specific numbers, either multiple or pinpoint.
Naturally, riskier bets with lower success rates have higher payouts, allowing for steady gains or a shot at a big reversal.
However, since the disk includes a “0” that’s neither red nor black, even color bets don’t exceed a 50% hit rate.
Accessible to all yet endlessly deep, the “Queen of Casinos”—
This game adds a bold twist to those roulette rules.
[’【Monopoly Roulette】 — First, the roulette disk used in this game is very straightforward.
It has eleven numbers, from 0 to 10.
As for colors, odd numbers are black, even numbers are red.
However, like traditional roulette, 0 is green.
Green 0, black 1, red 2… up to red 10, with pockets arranged at equal intervals.’]
[’In the first set, I, the dealer, act as the “banker” and throw the ball onto the roulette disk.
Before that, all participants — the “players” — must complete their bets.
Whether on colors or numbers, 【Monopoly Roulette】 allows all types of bets.’]
[’And regardless of the type of bet chosen, the payout rate for players is set as 【10 ÷ the number of winning pockets at the start of the game】.
For example, if you bet on 【black】, there are five winning pockets at the start, so the payout rate is two times.
Also, the maximum chips you can bet per set is 1,000.’]
[’In 【Monopoly Roulette】, a “settlement” occurs after each set.
Chips bet on losing pockets go to the banker, while chips on winning pockets are multiplied by the payout rate and returned to the players.
Of course, the banker pays out.’]
[’And here’s the key point… the player who earns the most in each set — that is, the one who increases their chip count the most — is granted the right to change the number or color of any pocket.
For example, changing 【black 1】 to 【red 1】 or 【black 3】 to 【black 8】.’]
[’Furthermore, that player can nominate the “next banker.”
…Yes, indeed. In this game, I only participate as the banker for the first set.
After that, the banker role shifts with each set.
If multiple players win the same amount, we’ll randomly select one, apologies for that.’]
[’The game ends after ten sets.
Given the high base payout rates, each player is limited to using one 【Black Ring】.
Used rings are held in the field, and at the game’s end, they’re returned to players with a positive balance.
Rings from players with a negative balance are confiscated and awarded in a draft format to players with the highest positive balances.’]
[‘Now then — use the rules and the disk to your advantage and “dominate” the game.’]
…With that, the gentlemanly dealer quietly concluded his explanation.
【Monopoly Roulette】 — a unique roulette game where the player who earns the most in each set can nominate the next banker and alter the disk.
From the second set onward, the dealer vanishes completely, leaving only player-to-player mind games.
“Umm, uh… uh?”
Staring at the terminal screen, Tatara Fuuka lets out a troubled voice.
“The numbers and colors on the disk change, so the odds shift, and the banker changes too, so we all have to take turns wearing the top hat… mmm?”
“Let’s calm down for a second, Tatara-san. Top hats aren’t involved.
It does seem a bit complex, but unless you’re chosen as the banker, you can just safely bet on 【red】 or 【black】.
That alone should earn you a decent amount.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. For example, if you bet on 【black】, the payout rate is 【10 ÷ the number of winning pockets at the start】, so it’s two times.
On the initial disk, the chance of the ball landing in a black pocket is 【5/11】, which is slightly unfavorable.
But as the game progresses, if black pockets increase to six, seven… the payout stays the same, but the odds of winning go up.
It’s not foolproof, of course.”
“Oh, I get it! Wait… so this game is actually pretty simple?”
“For us, yeah. The tough part is probably—”
Cutting off quietly, Af gives a wry smile and directs a monocled gaze toward me.
Almost simultaneously, a teasing voice comes from the Ouka group nearby.
“Fufu… Being popular is tough, huh, Shinohara?
I’m sure you already know, but… at least among the Academy Island players here, everyone’s probably gunning for you.
Try not to fall into a critical loss right off the bat, okay?”
“…Mind your own business.”
I shrug slightly, throwing a retort at Saionji, who smirks provocatively.
But, well, she’s basically right — in 【Monopoly Roulette】, the banker is in the most disadvantageous position.
That means the ability to choose the next banker after earning the most chips is essentially a system to target specific players.
For example, if the entire disk is filled with 【black】 and you’re named banker, you’re screwed.
(If I absolutely want to avoid being banker, I’d need to earn the most chips each set.
But with only one ring to use, there’s a limit to how much I can cheat my way to victory…)
I strategize, factoring in the rules, rings, and the lineup of participants.
…And in the midst of that, the game preparations seem to be complete.
The moment the dealer sweeps the air with his black top hat, the surrounding beach transforms into a massive casino.
Alongside an oval table appears a roulette disk with a sleek design.
[‘Now, shall we begin? Players, please place your first bets.’]
The dealer declares the start of the first set with a calm voice and refined gestures.
In response, I place a single silver chip on 【black】.
Since no colors or numbers have been altered yet, the ball’s landing spot follows standard probability.
It’s a pure “game of chance” with no strategy involved.
There’s no reason to make a move here.
(Most likely, the others won’t make their moves until the disk starts to skew.
With only one ring to use, nobody can afford to act now and sustain ten sets.
…There’s one outrageous strategy possible, but it’s probably unrealistic.)
I shake my head quietly, dismissing the absurd idea.
At nearly the same moment, once everyone’s bets are locked in, the augmented reality (AR) display shows a list of each player’s choices.
Saionji and Minami, likely thinking along the same lines as me, placed modest bets of one chip on 【red】.
Other players, though varying in amount, mostly stuck to “double bets” — low-payout options like colors or odd/even.
But when I saw the player name and bet at the bottom of the list, my eyes widened involuntarily.
【Player Name: “Phantom”】
【Pinpoint bet on “Green 0” / Payout Rate 10x — Bet Amount: 1,000 chips】
“““…!?”“”
Noticing the bizarre choice, the other players immediately start murmuring.
A pinpoint bet of 1,000 chips — the riskiest, highest-reward bet in 【Monopoly Roulette】.
If it hits, it nets a staggering +9,500 chips in an instant, but the odds are below 10%.
That’s true in a normal casino, at least.
As I’ve already experienced, Luna Island’s casino assumes the existence of 【Black Rings】, and depending on the ring, you can ignore probability and force a win.
But… in this game, where the banker’s weaknesses grow as sets progress, earning big early is a clear misstep.
It risks earning someone’s grudge and getting stuck as banker later, potentially losing chips in the tens of thousands.
Even so, at 【Phantom】’s side is unmistakably a ring adorned with jet-black decorations.
Checking it via the terminal, its name is 【Magnet】 — a powerful but one-use-per-set ability to “make the dealer’s ball land in any chosen pocket.”
“…What does this mean?”
Right then, Himeji lets out a question in a tone that suggests it slipped out.
She stretches slightly, bringing her face close to my ear, whispering so only I can hear.
“Could it be that 【Phantom】-sama doesn’t know the rules of this game?
In 【Monopoly Roulette】, only one ring can be used.
Even if it’s a 10x payout bet, using it this early feels far too reckless…”
“…Yeah, you’re right.”
Sharing her confusion and doubt, I turn my gaze back to the dealer.
For now, the outcome of the first set is what matters.
The gentlemanly dealer, unfazed by 【Phantom】’s high-stakes bet, throws the ball with polished movements.
The silver ball spins rapidly across the disk, gradually slowing down.
And — the ball falls into 【Green 0】 as if guided.
[‘First set, concluded… The winners are the six players who bet on 【5 or below】, and 【Phantom】-sama, who placed a pinpoint bet on 【Green 0】, for a total of seven.’]
As I catch my breath, the dealer calmly announces the results.
…First set over.
There were several winners, but the one who earned the most is, of course, 【Phantom】.
But… well, that’s fine.
It’s a dramatic victory, no doubt, but with the right ring, anyone could replicate it.
【Magnet】 to guide the dealer’s ball, 【Paint Pen】 to overwrite pocket colors or numbers, or 【Number Build】 to alter declared numbers… there are other options too.
But as Himeji said, now’s not the time for it.
Except for one specific possibility, that approach is a terrible move.
(But if 【Phantom】 is aiming for that win condition…)
Feeling a slight chill run down my spine, I clench my fist tightly.
Anyway… 【Phantom】, the overwhelming victor of the first set, chose to change “【Green 0】 to 【Red 0】.”
This eliminates green from the 【Monopoly Roulette】 disk entirely, making red’s share exceed 50%.
In effect, it guarantees an absolute advantage for the players.
From here on, it’s a game of passing the banker role around.
[‘Now, 【Phantom】-sama… who will you nominate as the banker for the second set?’]
Right.
Of course — that’s how it’d normally go, at least.
“—I’ll be the one to nominate. I’ll take the role of the next ‘Parent.’”
(…Damn, it’s that route, huh!)
My worst imaginable premonition came true, and I secretly grimaced.
It’s not like I hadn’t considered it at all, but I’d dismissed this strategy as too unlikely to succeed.
For me—or rather, for probably everyone here—it’s an impossible tactic.
Yet, [Phantom] nonchalantly chose that option.
“…Hey, what are you thinking, you bastard?”
Suddenly, a low voice cut in—it was Kururugi Senri.
With her mouth hidden by a black cloth mask like a ninja’s, her gaze seemed even sharper as she directed it toward [Phantom], continuing quietly.
“In this game, where we push the disadvantageous role of Parent onto each other while progressing…
Hate management is a critical rule. To think you’d use [Black Ring] from the first move,
and then, of all things, nominate yourself as Parent? What exactly is your intention…”
“Hm… it’s simple.”
The one who answered Kururugi’s question wasn’t [Phantom], but Minami Shizuku, standing beside him.
In her usual sleepy tone, she stated matter-of-factly,
“That person’s… [Phantom’s] goal is to become the Parent, at least once.
That’s the beginning of despair… right, Stalker-san?”
“…Why’re you directing that at me?”
“Mmm… surprisingly cheeky. When a girl bothers to talk to you, you should just go along with it instead of acting shy…
That response is bad communication.”
“I’ve never once cared about earning your favor.”
I let out an exasperated sigh, my face showing disbelief.
Still, I decided to take over the explanation.
“Well, Minami’s right, though. [Phantom] went for the Parent role from the first set using the Ring.
And… this game, it’s actually completely different in the first and second sets.
No, the rules themselves are the same, but the way they’re interpreted changes.”
“…? Different rules—do you mean the part where the Parent stops being the Dealer?”
“Exactly, Kururugi. Only in the first set does the Dealer act as the Parent,
and from the second set onward, that role is passed to a player.
And in this [Monopoly Roulette], the key rights—‘changing the pocket’s number or color’ and ‘nominating the next Parent’—
are both granted to the player who earns the most in that set. There’s no rule saying it has to be a Child.”
“! …Could it be?”
Kururugi’s eyes widened slightly, her voice trembling with a mix of shock and realization as she slowly voiced her guess.
“If the majority of players bet incorrectly in a single set, the one who earns the most would be none other than the ‘Parent’…?
And as long as that person keeps nominating themselves as the Parent,
they could indefinitely hold the right to change pocket information and the right to ‘target’ others, correct?”
“…That’s how it works.”
I glanced at the silent [Phantom] and confirmed Kururugi’s question.
Yes—that’s right. The ‘Parent’ role, which seems entirely disadvantageous at first glance,
naturally has a far higher maximum chip payout than the Child.
As the game progresses and the board shifts, the Children’s bets will gradually become more predictable.
If the ball lands in a pocket no one bet on, the Parent’s profit would be substantial.
“B-But…”
Kururugi’s ponytail swayed gently.
“That’s just a possibility, isn’t it? If everyone consistently misses their bets while [Phantom]-dono is the Parent,
that might happen, but such a thing—”
“—Ain’t supposed to happen, right? Yeah, normally, that’d be the case.”
The one who cut in was Fujishiro Keiya, a member of the Ouka gang.
With a flashy tattoo on his neck as a ‘Mask’ of Luna Island’s casino, he continued in his usual gruff, low voice.
“But I’ve heard—seasoned casino dealers can drop the roulette ball into a specific pocket.
Sure, they can’t hit it perfectly every time, but narrowing down the target isn’t impossible.
So, with only eleven pockets in [Monopoly Roulette], landing the ball in a desired spot might be a piece of cake, yeah?”
“Wha… such a thing?”
Kururugi, clearly shocked by Fujishiro’s explanation, let out a stunned murmur.
But—that’s exactly the ‘premise’ of this winning strategy.
If [Phantom] has that level of skill, if they can drop the ball into a chosen pocket,
then the correct move in the first set is undoubtedly to ‘seize the Parent role by any means necessary.’
Because that alone puts them in the position of the ruler.
That alone lets them seize control of the game.
[‘Now—everyone, please place your bets for the second set.’]
As the Dealer, now acting as the facilitator, announced politely, I quietly began to think.
…And then, about thirty minutes later.
[Monopoly Roulette] was proceeding as a one-sided game dominated by [Phantom].
The eighth set had just ended.
With only ten sets designated for this game, just two sets remained.
Astonishingly, [Phantom] had won every single set so far.
After forcibly claiming the ‘Parent’ seat in the first move, they hadn’t relinquished it once.
The board’s state and the chip counts of the main members from each academy district were as follows:
[Red 0 / Red 1 / Red 2 / Red 2 / Red 2 / Red 5 / Red 6 / Red 7 / Red 8 / Black 9 / Red 10]
[“Phantom” — Chip Change: +54,800 (Starting: 357,282,938)]
[“Shinohara Hiroto” — Chip Change: -1,700 (Starting: 3,430)]
[“Saionji Sarasa” — Chip Change: -2,200 (Starting: 4,409)]
[“Fujishiro Keiya” — Chip Change: -1,400 (Starting: 4,938)]
[“Minami Shizuku” — Chip Change: +700 (Starting: 6,832)]
[“Kururugi Senri” — Chip Change: -1,500 (Starting: 5,401)]
…A board dyed entirely red and [Phantom] racking up an overwhelming positive balance.
In their first five consecutive wins, they turned every pocket except [Black 9] to ‘Red,’
then began unifying the numbers to [Red 2].
At this point, statistically, betting on [Red] was the obvious choice.
After all, with over a 90% chance of winning, your bet doubles.
Alternatively, pinpoint betting on [Red 2] wouldn’t be a bad move either.
But—in the sixth, seventh, and eighth sets, the ball was sucked into [Black 9] every single time.
“Shock, amazement… that’s just too incredible.”
Minami, wearing her wolf-eared hoodie, muttered softly, and that summed it up perfectly.
(It’s laughably perfect precision… At this point, it’s confirmed [Phantom] can drop the ball wherever they want.
But betting a ton of chips on [Black 9] is way too reckless.
The Parent—that guy—spins the ball after all the Children’s bets are placed,
so if everyone starts betting on [Black 9], they’ll just drop it on ‘Red’ and win alone either way.)
I clenched my fist tightly.
A solo victory… Reflecting on the game’s progression, there’s no other way to describe it.
Not just me, but even top players from Academy Island like Saionji and Kururugi were being toyed with.
Sure, [Phantom] had an overwhelming advantage in casino experience and Ring options,
but even so, it was a brutally one-sided match.
Still… I had noticed one single path to a comeback.
“—Hey, you guys.”
Crunch.
Leaving footprints on the sandy beach, disguised as a dazzling floor by augmented reality (AR) tech, I took a small step forward.
Right before the Dealer announced the start of the ninth set,
I placed a hand on my pitch-black mask with a theatrical gesture, scanned the participants, and slightly raised the corner of my mouth.
And then, I said,
“You probably already know, but this game is currently [Phantom]’s overwhelming victory.
Catching up to this gap in just two sets is pretty tough…
but there are probably a few of you who’ve racked up significant debts already.
If the game ends like this and we hit the settlement phase,
some of you might face a Critical Loss in [Fortissimo Field Trip Battle] and get eliminated, right?”
“…And what about it?”
Instantly, the one who took the bait head-on was Saionji.
Her luxurious red hair swayed in the breeze as she crossed her arms, looking displeased, her ruby eyes fixed on me.
“Sure, as you said, some of my allies—Ouka’s teammates—are on the verge of a Critical Loss.
But there are still two sets left in [Monopoly Roulette].
We haven’t used [Black Ring] yet, so I think there’s plenty of chance for a comeback, no?”
“Well, that’s true. Even if it’s not you, plenty of people are probably aiming for a comeback with their Rings.
But I’ve got an idea. If you go along with it, I’ll make sure everyone here—every player except [Phantom]—
gets a big win in the final set. At the very least, you’ll avoid a Critical Loss.”
“…Hmph? You don’t seem to be spouting nonsense…
but where’s the proof? Sure, we’re all enemies of [Phantom], but that doesn’t make us your allies.
What’s the benefit of holding back our own plans to follow your strategy?”
Saionji’s ruby eyes locked onto me, her tone probing as if testing me.
…She’s probably offering her own form of support.
If I just gave a speech, I doubt the [Monopoly Roulette] participants would listen obediently.
But if someone openly opposes me and I manage to convince them, the scenario changes.
It’s a simplistic tactic, but it dramatically boosts persuasiveness.
So, here we go.
“Hah… I get that you want to shoot down my plan, Saionji.
But I’m not asking for help in the final set—I need you for the ninth set.
I don’t plan on failing, but if you’re unhappy with the result, you can use [Black Ring] or whatever in the tenth set.”
“That might be true… but most of the players here have already lost a ton of chips, you know?
Honestly, you and I are both in the red, aren’t we?
If your strategy requires hundreds of chips, we can’t join even if we want to.”
“Nah, no need to worry about that. This is an ultra-simple surefire strategy—got it?”
With a blatant grin, I spoke with brazen confidence.
“There are forty-three players in this game. That means, excluding the Parent, [Phantom], there are forty-two—an even number.
So, what happens if, in the next set, twenty-one people bet one chip on [Red] and the other twenty-one bet one chip on [Black]?”
“What happens? That’s obvious just by looking at the board.
In normal roulette, there’s [Green 0], but in this [Monopoly Roulette], there are only Red and Black pockets.
If it plays out like Shinohara said, no matter where the ball lands, twenty-one people win, and twenty-one lose.
So—wait, oh!”
At that point, Saionji’s eyes widened slightly, and she stopped speaking.
…Looks like she figured it out.
The ability to drop the ball in a chosen pocket made this game seem like [Phantom]’s stage, but there was one exception.
Crossing her arms under her chest, Saionji, with her red glasses, nodded slightly.
“I see… that’s how it is. If the number of winners and losers is exactly the same,
and they all bet the same amount, naturally, the Parent gets zero chips.
Meanwhile, the twenty-one who bet correctly earn one chip each,
so the winners of the ninth set would be those people.”
“Yeah. In case of a tie, the winner is chosen randomly, so technically it’s one of them.
But as long as someone other than [Phantom] wins, that’s fine.
That person gets the right to ‘change the pocket’s number or color’ and the right to ‘nominate the Parent for the tenth set.’”
“Right. And if they change [Black 9] to [Red 9], the entire board becomes Red.
Then, if we nominate [Phantom] as the Parent for the final set—”
“—It’s perfect. With no Black pockets left, skill doesn’t matter anymore.
After that, we just manipulate the rates or bet amounts with Ring effects to maximize earnings.”
Exchanging glances with Saionji across the table, I kept up my confident demeanor as I wrapped up the strategy explanation.
Of course, normally, such a delicate plan would never work.
After all, casino game participants are fundamentally all enemies, always watching for a chance to betray.
But this time, as an exception, everyone here was being dominated by [Phantom].
If there’s a guaranteed way to get revenge on him, there’s no reason not to take it.
“So—that’s how we’ll take it back, [Phantom]?”
“…………”
Against my smirking declaration, [Phantom] let out a quiet breath, saying nothing.
♯
The rest of [Monopoly Roulette] unfolded almost exactly as I’d planned.
In the ninth set, our coordinated betting ensured the Parent earned nothing,
and the winner, Minami (with absurd luck), smugly flipped [Black 9] to Red,
then nominated [Phantom] as the Parent for the final set.
With players who’d saved their [Black Rings] raising the rates en masse,
in the final set alone, [Phantom] hemorrhaged nearly 40,000 chips—a catastrophic loss.
“…Still ending in the black is a bit annoying, though.”
“Hm?”
After the Jackpot Time ended, while Himeji and I—most of our classmates had already left, called away by others—
were checking our earned chips and Rings, a voice suddenly came from the side.
It carried a hint of dissatisfaction, or perhaps irritation.
Looking over, I saw Saionji approaching elegantly, her luxurious red hair swaying.
She stopped in front of me, placing her right hand on her hip, and continued.
“I’ll at least thank you, Shinohara. That coordinated bet in the ninth set…
without it, some of my allies would’ve fallen into a Critical Loss.
Plus, Fujishiro-kun and I managed to get back into the black. As expected of Academy Island’s strongest, huh?”
“Nah… strongest or not, you had something planned too, didn’t you?
You only went along with my strategy because it didn’t conflict with yours.
It’s not like you would’ve been screwed without it.”
“Oh, you noticed? Well, yes. As Ouka’s ace and a 6-star high-ranker,
I’d lose face if I couldn’t handle a setup like that.”
With a smug hmph, Saionji flicked her luxurious hair proudly.
…It’s not just bravado.
I just happened to move first this time, but there were probably several ways to stop [Phantom] in that situation.
Minami, Kururugi, Fujishiro—they all likely had something up their sleeves.
But—while the [Monopoly Roulette] result is fine, there’s one thing bothering me.
“Hey, Saionji. Have you ever met [Phantom] somewhere before?”
…That’s right.
The white-masked [Phantom]—he was deeply afraid of Saionji Sarasa.
He’d even told Fuka and the others, ‘I won’t join any game with Saionji Sarasa in it.’
Yet, he didn’t show any sign of backing out of [Monopoly Roulette].
To my question, Saionji tilted her head, her long red hair swaying, a puzzled expression on her face.
“[Phantom]? No, that game was our first meeting…
I was actually planning to make contact with him today, but he beat me to it. Why?”
“Oh, no… it’s just that I heard your name from [Phantom].
Knowing you, I figured you might’ve stirred up some messy history with him—”
“—Hey. You’re Shinohara Hiroto… right?”
And then.
Cutting into my conversation with Saionji, someone suddenly called out.
Turning toward the voice with caution, I saw none other than [Phantom] himself.
He stopped a short distance away, placing a hand on his white mask,
staring at us through it for a moment before speaking.
“If you don’t mind, tell me something. The person you’re talking to…
who exactly are they? Why are you calling them ‘Saionji’?”
“…Huh?”
Completely baffled by the question, my thoughts froze for a moment as I furrowed my brow.
Saionji, abruptly dragged into the topic, let out a confused “Eh, what? Me?” as I raised a hand to stop her.
I decided to throw my own question back at [Phantom].
“Why? Because this is Saionji Sarasa, obviously.
The undefeated [Empress], Ouka’s ace, a 6-star ultra-VIP… So?
How can you just casually walk up to her?
You joined the same damn game. Weren’t you supposed to be scared of Saionji?”
“…? Yeah, sure, I’m terrified of Saionji Sarasa…”
[Phantom] gave a vague response, his expression suggesting he didn’t quite grasp the situation.
To his bizarre behavior, Saionji and I exchanged a confused “«?»” glance—
and in the next moment, a chilling premonition hit me like a shockwave.
…Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Could it be… that?
[Phantom] harbors a deep fear of Saionji Sarasa.
Yet here he is, face-to-face with Saionji, looking perfectly calm.
He doesn’t seem scared or even like he’s putting on a brave front.
“No… way…”
Himeji let out a faint, stiff murmur.
“[Phantom]-sama began participating in [Fortissimo Field Trip Battle]—
and staying on Luna Island—over three years ago,
before Sarasa-sama enrolled in Ouka Academy’s high school division.
If he knows about Sarasa-sama, then perhaps…”
“—No, it’s not you.”
Cutting off Himeji’s speculation,
[Phantom] briefly directed his masked gaze at Saionji before quietly shaking his head.
“Well… maybe you are the real Saionji Sarasa,
but at the very least, you’re not the one I’m talking about.
Three years ago, at a summer event, a woman participated as Saionji Sarasa…
That woman instilled a bone-chilling fear in me.”
“W-Wait, hold on, [Phantom]. What do you mean—”
“But it’s strange. Not just the name, I definitely detected her device signature…”
—And then.
In that instant, I could tell [Phantom]’s expression paled dramatically.
No, of course, he still wore the mask, hiding most of his face,
but the change was so stark I could confidently say his face had drained of color.
On closer inspection, his legs were trembling slightly, and cold sweat glistened on his neck.
Even without Fuka and Sumire’s duo, it was obvious.
He was gripped by immense fear—a premonition that something terrifying was approaching.
And then—she appeared before us.
“…Oh? Could it be the game is already over?”
A soft, elusive, fluffy, and adorable voice.
With that first remark, a unfamiliar girl approached us with calm, refined steps.
Her eyes were covered by a thief-like mask, making it hard to say for sure,
but her features were clearly delicate and beautiful.
Her well-groomed light brown long hair and doll-like charm were striking.
Her graceful walk, her curious glances around—every gesture exuded an impression of loveliness.
“I didn’t make it in time… how unfortunate. All because I gave in to the temptation of ice cream…”
Dejectedly hanging her head, she wore a slightly sad expression as she lightly licked the ice candy in her hand.
Her uniform wasn’t one I recognized from Academy Island.
In my AR vision, the player name [Violet] appeared.
(This is the [Violet] that was mentioned in Eimei’s group chat…?)
Quietly mulling it over, I brought my right hand to my mouth.
…Well, if that’s the case, her presence here isn’t exactly strange.
Jackpot Time is an event you’d want to join to earn chips or collect [Black Rings].
So, that’s fine—but what concerned me was the reactions of the other three.
[Phantom]’s breathing was still erratic, as before,
but Himeji and Saionji were visibly off too.
The moment they saw her, Saionji’s eyes widened dramatically,
and Himeji froze with her mouth half-open, as if they’d seen something impossible.
Neither of them uttered a word.
“Ah… ah…”
And then—right after, as if voicing their inner thoughts,
[Phantom], stumbling back on the sandy beach, managed to force out words with a trembling voice.
“It’s her—she’s Saionji Sarasa.”
(—What?)
My thoughts completely froze at the shocking line,
as [Phantom] bit his lower lip, turned his back on us, and sprinted off into the distance.
Left behind were me, Himeji, Saionji… and that girl.
With my heart pounding from a mix of tension, shock, and various emotions,
I stared intently at the girl.
At the same moment—she slowly raised her face, her long hair swaying.
“But I don’t think there’s any reason to feel down.
I may have missed the game, but I accomplished my important goal perfectly…
As expected of me, right?”
Her calm, leisurely tone ignored our agitation.
With a faint, lovely smile, she turned to face us, still frozen—
“It’s been a while, Yuki, Rina—I’ve missed you both so, so much.”
…That’s right.
Maybe, just maybe, I had realized it.
The moment [Phantom] mentioned Saionji’s name, that possibility had indeed crossed my mind.
But I pretended not to notice. I acted like I didn’t see it.
…But at this point, I have no choice but to acknowledge it.
Even if that is a bomb with lethal destructive power for us,
the stage where I could keep pretending not to see it passed long ago.
“…”
Because—she, she was…
The true, genuine Saionji Sarasa.
Please tell me, Himeji-san.
What kind of place is Luna Island?
Luna Island—commonly known as “Casino Island”—is one of the world’s top tourist destinations. For second-year high school students from Academy Island, it also serves as the stage for the grade-level competition, the “School Trip Battle.” While your master’s crucial battles continue… since we’re at such a wonderful tourist spot, let’s spend some fun time together, shall we?
A world-class tourist destination
Luna Island is a resort where world-heritage-level nature and cutting-edge futuristic cities coexist. The scenery, entertainment, and food are all so vast that it’s said you couldn’t experience it all even in a year. Another distinctive feature is that you can try casino games all over the island. Depending on the number of chips you hold, you can access areas with rarer tourist attractions.
The central lake is an ultra-rare spot
The lake at the center of Luna Island—Lake Heidi—is a secret spot among secret spots, accessible only to those holding an astronomical 10 million chips. It’s said that only one in tens of thousands of tourists can reach it, but with you, Master, I can’t help but have high hopes…
Solving things with money?
Though it’s officially prohibited, as seen with Lake Heidi, some people try to gather chips not by winning casino games but by bribing dealers. It seems that on Luna Island, money makes the world go round, doesn’t it?
