The Formidable Foe Without Malice
♯
──The final day of the second semester’s grade-level competition, “School Trip Battle Forteissimo.”
To participate in what was likely to be the final decisive casino game, we
were visiting the gambling district at the heart of Luna Island’s A-rank area.
The Hermes gambling district—there stood only a single hotel.
Its exterior was understated yet majestic, but this hotel had no lodging
facilities whatsoever; inside, it was filled solely with a dazzling casino space.
A genuine casino, not some augmented reality (AR) gimmick. As such,
only dealers with a certain level of qualifications were dispatched to the games
operated in this district. A-rank area [☆5]… In theory, the highest-efficiency
casino game on Luna Island.
(So… yeah, it makes sense it’d come to this.)
While thinking such thoughts, I quietly surveyed my surroundings.
…The final day of “School Trip Battle Forteissimo,” the [☆5] game with the
greatest potential for earnings. Naturally, there was no reason for the ace players
from each school district not to gather here.
“—Amazing, so amazing! Everyone’s here! It’s like a festival,
Mitsuru!”
“Yeah, Sumire… If only [Phantom] were still on our side.”
First, the Seventh District’s Shinra High School—having successfully scouted
[Phantom] first and maintaining their front line with the efforts of their top two
players even after he became inactive, this district had a total score of 2.9 million
chips. They were ranked fourth among the districts, but that didn’t mean they
could be underestimated in the slightest.
After bowing back to Sumire, who waved at us, Himeji shook her silver hair
and said,
“In fact, if [Phantom]-sama had been able to fully demonstrate his abilities,
Shinra might still be in the lead. …By the way, Amanezaka Academy, which
typically takes first place among districts with [Phantom]-sama’s support,
is currently languishing in last place this year.”
“Last place? Sure, Yagura got taken down by Tsuji, but…
what happened to the others?”
“Well, how should I put it… It’s like the kind of disputes that used to happen
between Enomoto-sama and Asamiya-sama last year, happening repeatedly.
Their individual skills are high, but for some reason, they keep dragging each
other down within their district. Not a single person has over a million chips.”
“…Ah, got it.”
Recalling Yagura’s personality, I nodded in understanding. …In any case,
it seemed safe to assume no players from Amanezaka would show up here.
And Otoha Academy, missing their overwhelming ace Kugasaki Seiran,
also hadn’t advanced anyone to the A-rank area.
“And—those over there are the students from Ouka Academy.”
As my thoughts reached that point, Himeji whispered softly.
At the spot where she directed her clear emerald eyes, in a corner of the
glittering casino space, stood three players wearing the uniforms of the Third
District’s Ouka Academy. As always, Fujishiro Keiya was intimidating the
surroundings with his blond hair, while next to him, Mayano Yuka looked around
curiously. And behind them, arms crossed and focusing her mind, was Ouka’s
“Empress”—Saionji Sarasa.
Noticing our gazes, she pushed up her red glasses with a smirk and spoke
boldly.
“Heh… Looks like you’ve got some real intent to turn things around, Shinohara.
It’s the final game, so I’d prefer you not make a fool of yourself.”
“…That’s my line. Make sure you don’t get knocked out, ‘Empress.’”
Trading barbs with Saionji as usual. …But this time, it was almost literal.
Though we belonged to different districts, Saionji and I were allies. We had
secretly joined forces to take down a formidable enemy.
And that “enemy,” of course, referred to none other than them.
“Mmm… Stalker-san is everywhere. Elusive… You like me too much.”
“Hmm. True, Shizuku-dono. But there’s no need to be so harsh, is there?
He’s not a bad guy, despite appearances. After all, he understands sweets.”
“Kururugi-chan might get fooled by a bad guy… I’ll protect you.”
The two girls, Minami Shizuku and Kururugi Senri, were chatting amicably (?).
It was something we could’ve predicted before “School Trip Battle Forteissimo”
began, but… as expected, they had become a major threat. Minami, with her
languid blue eyes—wearing a wolf-ear hoodie—glared at us with a lazy stare,
already surpassing 3 million chips. Kururugi, covering her mouth with a ninja’s
black cloth mask, had over 2 million chips. Both were performing flawlessly as
6-star rankers.
But the truly terrifying thing about St. Rosalia and Tsuyuri was that even they
weren’t the top players. Right next to the chatting duo stood a girl radiating an
overwhelming presence. With refined movements and a gentle smile, her long,
doll-like hair swaying softly—Hagoromo Shion, or rather, [Violet].
“Oh… Hehe, good day. Let’s make this a good match, shall we?”
Noticing our gazes, she softened the expression beneath her mask and gave a
polite nod. …The ultimate dark horse of this “School Trip Battle Forteissimo,”
[Stranger]. The chips she had earned over these three days amounted to over
12 million. Considering that Amanezaka Academy won first place last year with
a total of 18 million chips, it was clear how extraordinary her score was.
After scanning the districts, Himeji turned to face me.
“That’s the lineup of participating players. By the way, our Eimei Academy
is in third place overall… We’re neck-and-neck with second-place Ouka
Academy, but we’re trailing the first-place coalition district by more than five
times the score. Even so, it’s not like we have no chance of winning—
after all, we succeeded in recruiting Luna Island’s strongest [Stranger].”
“…Yeah.”
Luna Island’s strongest [Stranger]—Rindou Kai, or rather, [Phantom].
His data was, frankly, overwhelming. While he had earned only about 800,000
chips during “School Trip Battle Forteissimo,” his total chip count was a
staggering 357.98 million. Not just head and shoulders above the rest—his
numbers were in a different league. Without a doubt, he was the island’s
most powerful player.
And what was he doing now, you ask?
“Ugh… I wanna go home… This is scary, impossible… Seriously, I can’t do
this… My stomach hurts…”
—He was covering his chalk-white mask with both hands, endlessly muttering
curses behind us.
(Well, yeah, makes sense…)
I glanced at him, thinking as much. …He’d been holed up on Luna Island out
of fear of Hagoromo Shion—Violet. Just seeing her made his legs tremble,
so participating in the same game as her must have him shaking uncontrollably.
That was something both I and Rindou himself understood.
But even so, this was the only way to win.
“““—!”“”
At that moment, as the clock on our devices struck exactly 9:00, the lobby
doors opened. As all the participants turned their gazes toward it, a woman
with long hair, dressed impeccably in a tuxedo, appeared. She gave a faint
smile and bowed as the doors closed, then quietly stepped forward.
She reached the dealer’s table. The moment she touched her device to the
console, a massive projection screen unfolded above our heads.
The game name inscribed at the outset—【Dominate Poker】.
“—Now, I shall begin explaining the rules.”
With the dealer’s serene and tranquil voice,
the ultra-high-stakes casino game, marking the finale of the 《School Trip Battle Fortissimo》,
raised its curtain—.
♯
【Casino Game “Dominate Poker”—Rule Explanation】
【This game is a team-based poker game where each card has special effects.
Participants form teams of up to three, sharing hands
to aim for creating a “hand.”】
【Here, the adopted poker hands, listed in order of strength, are as follows:
《Royal Flush》, 《Straight Flush》, 《Four of a Kind》,
《Full House》, 《Flush》, 《Straight》, 《Three of a Kind》.
Weaker hands cannot win.】
【At the start of the first match, all teams are dealt three trump cards randomly and openly.
Cards not dealt are set face-down as the deck,
and ten cards from this deck are placed face-up on the field.
This completes the field setup.】
【“Dominate Poker” is turn-based per team.
The turn order is randomly determined at the start of each game,
and the actions for each turn are handled by one player from the team in sequence.
This sequence is also randomly decided at the game’s start.
All in-game resources are shared within the team
(though chips and rings depend on individual players).】
【In “Dominate Poker,” each card has special effects based on its suit.
The effects per suit are as follows:】
【Spade (♠)—You can discard a card from any team’s hand
that has a lower number than itself.
Diamond (♦)—You can acquire a face-up card on the field
with a lower number than itself.
Heart (♥)—Can be used optionally when attacked by a Spade,
reducing the opponent’s number by your card’s number.
Club (♣)—If included in the winning hand,
increases the chips gained based on the total number
(up to 15: double / 16–29: triple / 30+: quintuple).】
【In each turn, players do not draw from the deck or bet chips.
Instead, they can freely choose and execute one of the following four actions:】
【《Purchase》—You can buy one face-up card from the field
or a “【Black Ring】 usage right (i.e., 《Ticket》).”
In this game, anyone can use a ring at any time,
but doing so consumes a 《Ticket》.
Card prices are “number × 10,000” chips regardless of suit,
and a 《Ticket》 costs 100,000 chips.
However, the 《Purchase》 action can only be performed once per turn.】
【《Action》—You can activate a card’s special effect.
Cards used in 《Action》 are single-use and move to the discard pile after effect application.
Can be executed as many times as you have cards.】
【《Skillification》—By paying chips equal to the 《Purchase》 cost,
you can convert one hand card into a “Skill Card.”
Skill Cards cannot be used in hands,
but they aren’t discarded when used in 《Action》
(though limited to once per turn)
and are immune to Spade effects.
Each team can hold only one Skill Card
(if a second 《Skillification》 is performed, the first is discarded).】
【《Declaration》—If you can form a poker hand with any five cards in your hand,
you can present them to perform a 《Declaration》.
If any team executes this, and no other team
counters with a “stronger hand” within one round,
the victory condition is met.
If a new 《Declaration》 is made, the count resets from that team.】
【The only condition for ending a game of “Dominate Poker”
is when a 《Declaration》 is achieved.
Even if the deck runs out, the discard pile is reshuffled to continue.】
【When a team successfully performs a 《Declaration》, i.e., a winning team is decided,
all chips spent on 《Purchase》 up to that point become the reward,
divided among the team.
Similarly, 【Black Rings】 used in the game are distributed,
with acquisition and selection order based on the player who spent the most chips on 《Purchase》.】
【《Inheritance》 Rule—“Dominate Poker” is a consecutive battle format game.
The victory condition per match is “successfully performing a 《Declaration》,”
but as long as players wish to continue, the game doesn’t close
and moves to the next game.
At this point, all team hands and 《Tickets》 are reset,
but each player can choose one card from their team’s hand to 《Inherit》 to the next game.
From the second match, inherited cards become the “initial hand,”
and teams with fewer than three cards draw the difference from the deck.
The selection order for 《Inheritance》 cards is also based on the player with the most chips spent on 《Purchase》.】
【《Team Change》 Rule—Team changes are always possible at game transitions.】
“…I see.”
The rule text displayed across the projection screen
and the dealer’s careful explanation tracing it.
While mentally chewing on them,
I nodded slightly. Last night’s strategy meeting confirmed the bare minimum outline,
but with limited time, we could only discuss the broad “strategy route.”
I need to properly grasp the detailed rules and specifications too.
【Dominate Poker】—The A-rank area 【☆5】 casino game
marking the finale of the 《School Trip Battle Fortissimo》.
Its rules blend poker, the king of casino games, with several unconventional twists.
Instead of drawing from the deck, you 《Purchase》 desired cards from those on the field,
aiming to complete a hand.
Additionally, since all cards have “special effects,”
indirectly strengthening your hand is a highly effective strategy.
While gently bringing my right hand to my mouth, I stared at the rules.
“Spades, Diamonds, Hearts, Clubs… each of the four suits corresponds to a special effect, huh.
Spades for disruption, Diamonds for additional card acquisition.
Hearts can mitigate Spade attacks,
and Clubs give a bonus if included in the final hand.”
“Yes. The effects of Spades and Diamonds seem particularly powerful.
Using them as 《Action》 sends them to the discard pile,
but each team can perform the 《Skillification》 action on one card
to make it a semi-permanent ‘Skill Card.’”
“Yeah, using that skillfully seems crucial.
Since the game doesn’t end until a team successfully 《Declares》,
each match could drag on quite a bit,
and there’s the 《Inheritance》 rule too.
If I get something like 《♠K》 or 《♦K》, I’d want to 《Skillify》 it immediately.”
“Indeed… However, as long as you purchase a 《Ticket》,
you can use a ring anytime,
so powerful Skill Cards are likely to be stolen or discarded.
Should we keep defensive measures or use them as decoys?”
“Yeah… While disrupting each other and building up hands,
the goal is to eventually make a hand and 《Declare》, right? …It’s tough.
Securing strong cards or preparing a ring with a 《Ticket》 is important,
but dawdling might let someone else 《Declare》 and win.”
If a team performs a 《Declaration》,
the game ends unless a “stronger hand” is 《Declared》 within one round.
In short, no matter how powerful your cards,
if you can’t make a hand, it’s meaningless.
That balance is probably the key.
After pondering that far, I slightly raised my face.
Looking first at Himeji in front of me,
then at 【Phantom】 nearby, who was looking down,
I quietly opened my mouth.
“For now, as we discussed yesterday, I think we should go with this trio for the team.
No issues, right?”
“Of course. I’ll accompany you to the end, so rest assured, Master.”
“…Then, can I just go home instead?
My heart’s pounding like crazy…
I just don’t feel like I belong here or can compete.”
“No, that’s not true, 【Phantom】-sama.
Why? Because you are none other than the ultimate ‘partner’ chosen by Master.
You should hold your head high.”
Against Himeji, who spoke while swaying her silver hair,
【Phantom】 hung his head weakly.
…He’s been hiding from 【Violet】 behind me this whole time,
but it’s already a blessing he hasn’t fled.
His cooperation is absolutely essential to complete our strategy.
As I thought that, 【Phantom】, the man himself, continued with a sigh-laden voice.
“Then… Shinohara, can I just confirm?
Not about winning this game outright—
but about the method to secure the S-rank area entry rights by the end of today.
You explained it yesterday, but I don’t feel like I fully grasped it.”
“It’s just a review,” muttered 【Phantom】.
…Probably, “talking helps distract me” is part of it too.
Seeing me nod, he glanced down at his terminal.
“You guys joined the 《School Trip Battle Fortissimo》 three days ago,
just past 2 p.m.
Since 【Dominate Poker】 itself has no end condition,
that’s the time limit.
About five hours left from now, roughly.
From the rules, I think one ‘match’ of this game takes at least twenty minutes.
We can probably do ten matches, maybe fifteen at most.”
“Yeah, that sounds right.”
“Mhm. Next, about the chips gained per match…
The basic rule of 【Dominate Poker】 is that the chips spent on 《Purchase》 actions
by each team go to the winning team.
That’s boosted based on the total number of Clubs…
but the reward is split among the three team members.
I think 1 million chips per person is the max.”
“1 million chips, huh. As expected of a 【☆5】 high-stakes game, but…”
While saying that, I quietly scanned the surroundings.
…The participants of 【Dominate Poker】
were already divided into four teams.
Since players from the same school district can team up,
there wasn’t much scheming involved,
and it naturally settled this way.
【Team Eimei: Shinohara Hiroto / Himeji Shirayuki / Phantom (Rindou Kai)】
【Team Ouka: Saionji Sarasa / Fujishiro Keiya / Mano Yuka】
【Team Shinra: Fuwa Mitsuru / Fuwa Sumire】
【Team Union: Minami Shizuku / Kururugi Senri / Violet (Hagoromo Shion)】
…The more I looked, the more dizzying the lineup of formidable players,
but one thing was certain:
only one of these four teams would claim the reward each time.
Consecutive wins or overwhelming victories were unlikely.
It’d likely be a seesaw game of “take and be taken.”
That’s why our prepared strategy boiled down to this.
“Ultimately, I think it all comes down to the final match.
Even if we slightly increase the ‘wins’ we can grab—
maybe one in four times—
I don’t think it’ll reach 10 million.”
“Yes. That’s why we need to make one big move at some point.
Using the rules of 【Dominate Poker】 and the rings…
But proceeding normally won’t make it that convenient.
For example, stockpiling 《Tickets》
would naturally make other teams wary,
and the chances of an early 《Declaration》 ending the game increase.”
“Yeah, that’s why it’s the final one.
Since there’s a limit to what we can prepare in one match,
we set up the trap across the entire 【Dominate Poker】 game.
We plant the seeds for a comeback over multiple matches.”
“Over multiple matches… That’s it. That’s what I don’t get.
I brushed it off yesterday like ‘sure, whatever,’
but is that really possible?
Players can only 《Inherit》 one card.
Everything else gets reset, it says.”
“Well, normally, yeah. But…”
While saying that, I quietly opened my terminal’s screen to show him.
Displayed there was a single ring—
the 【Black Ring】 I brought as an ability conversion.
“【Revision Addition】.
The special ability of the ‘Orange Star,’
obtained as a victory reward from the 《Duel》 SFIA a while back—
its Luna Island version.
An effect that allows ‘adding’ revisions to something in the game—
in short, you can ‘write in’ anything, be it rules or effects.
You can’t erase existing text,
and there’s a limit to the number of characters you can add,
but as a colored ring, it’s pretty powerful.
By the way, the 【Situation Reversal】 we used in our 【Selector】
was actually this ring too.
It was a mock game, so I hid the unnecessary details back then.”
“…Wait. What? Are you kidding?
I don’t know what you’re planning to add to what,
but in 【Dominate Poker】,
every ring use requires a 《Ticket》.
That’s 100,000 chips consumed right there,
and using it burns the 《Ticket》, so you can’t do it secretly…
Plus, if you lose a game where you used a 【Black Ring】,
it gets taken.
Even if it’s a handy ring, it’s one-time use.
What happened to ‘setting up across the whole game’?”
“Hm… Oh, that.”
Nodding slightly in understanding, I continued.
…【Phantom】’s concerns were valid.
Unlike Academy Island abilities,
if you lose a game with a 【Black Ring】,
it’s taken away right then and there—but.
“It’s fine. We’ve already discussed how to handle that.
And… I’ll say this upfront, 【Phantom】.
What we’re about to do is, frankly, a dirty trick.
It’s borderline cheating,
not exactly the most honorable approach.”
“…Well, hearing your talk yesterday, I kinda got that vibe.”
“Right? But we’re past the point of caring about that.
Sure, 【Dominate Poker】 is a great game for earning chips,
but just winning isn’t nearly enough
to overturn the 《School Trip Battle Fortissimo》.
We’ll never catch up to 【Violet】 or the Union District.
So, just this once, I’m doing it my way.
I’ll make it happen, no matter what.
And once all the setup is done…
【Phantom】, that’s where you come in.”
“Ugh… I mean, I’ll do my best, but… my stomach hurts…”
With a gloomy expression, 【Phantom】 clutched his arm tightly.
At any rate, the preparations were set—
the casino game 【Dominate Poker】.
An endless “earning grind” continuing until the 《School Trip Battle Fortissimo》 ends.
With less than five hours until the time limit,
the chips Saionji and I need to earn
amount to a staggering 10 million—
a number said to be reached by only one in tens of thousands of participants.
(I’ll show you, 【Violet Hagoromo Shion】—
why I’m called the “False Seven-Star.”)
Catching the formidable foe standing poised in the corner of my vision,
I flashed a fearless smirk.
♯
【Second Semester Grade-Based Competition 《School Trip Battle Fortissimo》 Final Day】
【Casino Game “Dominate Poker”—Game Start】
—Luna Island A-rank Area, Gambling District Hermes.
A dazzlingly luxurious lobby lounge.
At the elliptical casino table set in its center,
the fateful showdown began.
【Dominate Poker】—A variant poker played in teams.
In this game, each team is initially dealt three cards,
followed by ten cards placed on the field.
Players closely monitor the situation,
using disruptions and tactics to approach victory.
The starting hands for the first match, listed in turn order, were as follows:
【Team Shinra: 《♦2》《♦J》《♥5》】
【Team Ouka: 《♠9》《♥9》《♣A》】
【Team Eimei: 《♠5》《♦7》《♥10》】
【Team Union: 《♠7》《♣4》《♣K》】
【Field: 《♠A》《♠Q》《♦4》《♦8》《♦K》《♥A》《♥7》《♥J》《♣2》《♣9》】
…While comparing my hand to each team’s, I gently brought my right hand to my mouth.
Our initial cards were 《♠5》《♦7》《♥10》—three cards.
The suits and numbers were all different,
but if I could grab, say, 《♦8》《♣9》《♥J》 from the field,
I’d complete a 《Straight》 right there.
With the rule allowing 《Purchase》 instead of drawing,
and the ability to see “cards used by opponents,”
it’s fair to say planning is relatively straightforward.
And then,
“—Lovely, lovely! I’m up first!”
【Dominate Poker】, first match.
In this game, one player from the team represents the turn,
and the very first batter to draw the opening turn
was Sumire from Team Shinra.
With an excited expression, she scanned the board,
then nodded grandly, swaying her beige hair.
“Saving chips is important, but initial investment is surely the most crucial!
I’ve decided, I’ve decided!
I’ll 《Purchase》 the 《♦K》!
And immediately execute the 《Skillification》 action!
Consuming 260,000 chips total
to get a super strong ‘Additional Acquisition Voucher’!”
(Whoa… right off the bat, huh?)
I knew it’d be targeted, but I still grimaced.
…《♦K》. In 【Dominate Poker】,
Diamonds have the effect of “acquiring one face-up field card with a lower number.”
Since it can be swapped for a desired card later,
it’s already plenty strong when used normally in 《Action》,
but 《Skillifying》 it makes it no longer “single-use,”
evolving it into the ultimate card that can acquire any card each turn.
Watching 《♣3》 flip into the 《♦K》’s slot,
Sumire continued her play cheerfully.
“Smooth sailing, smooth sailing!
Now, I’ll use this 《♦K (Skillified)》 to acquire 《♦8》…
And that’s the end of my turn!
Your turn, lovely blonde person?”
“…Tch.”
Sumire passed the turn with a bouncy tone,
while Fujishiro, in stark contrast, grimaced.
Shaking his head slightly to refocus,
he spoke in a low, menacing tone.
“Movin’ all flashy from the first turn, huh, you…
《♦K (Skillified)》 plus 《♦2》《♦8》《♦J》?
Just two more for a 《Flush》, ain’t it?”
“Is that bad, is that bad? But that’s how poker works, isn’t it?”
“That’s why I’m complainin’, dammit.
…As you did, the ideal early-game move in this game
is makin’ a Diamond Skill Card.
Even a low number, just havin’ a 《Skillified》 Diamond
changes your hand’s size.
So, my go-to is absolutely 《♦4》—but.”
“…Not that one?”
“Can’t let you run wild, can I?
…Listen up, I’m 《Purchasing》 the 《♠Q》.
Then, I’ll 《Skillify》 it and execute 《Action》—
Spades let you pick one card from another team’s hand
with a lower number and discard it.
The target is you, Shinra’s 《♦J》.”
“! That’s mean, that’s mean!
I thought you were a lovely person…
You’re a delinquent!”
“Ignore her. Anyway, that’s my turn. And…”
Saying that, Fujishiro shot a piercing glare my way.
“—Your turn, ‘strongest’.”
“Hah… Don’t rush me.”
Returning a fearless smirk to Fujishiro’s direct taunt,
I touched my mask.
Team Eimei’s first player was me.
I glanced back at my cards.
【Team Eimei: 《♠5》《♦7》《♥10》】
【Field: 《♠A》《♠3》《♦4》《♦9》《♥A》《♥7》《♥J》《♣2》《♣3》《♣9》】
“Hm…”
The slots Sumire and Fujishiro took were refilled from the deck,
restoring ten cards to the field.
(Fastest way to make a hand is aiming for 《Straight》…
but since 《♦8》 was taken,
I can’t complete it with just the field cards.
A quick showdown’s tough, huh.)
I quietly mulled it over.
…Maybe from the second match with 《Inheritance》,
but pulling off a blitz in the first match is near impossible.
Like Sumire and Fujishiro,
the primary goal is probably “creating a strong Skill Card.”
Cards like 《♦K (Skillified)》 or 《♠Q (Skillified)》
not only give an edge in the game
but are prime candidates for 《Inheritance》—but,
“…What will you do, Master?”
Whispering in a troubled tone from right beside me
was none other than Himeji Shirayuki.
“What’s left on the field is 《♠3》 and 《♦9》…
Not useless, but they feel a bit lacking as weapons.
Still, aiming straight for a hand feels too far off…”
“Yeah, getting outplayed early put us at a slight disadvantage.
But… honestly, it’s fine if we don’t win the first match.
There are things I need to confirm to start our ‘setup,’
so securing three 《Inheritance》 cards for all of us this time is enough.”
“I see. By the way, which card are you aiming for?”
“Oh—this one.”
With a faint smirk, I said that and smoothly slid my right hand sideways.
Simultaneously, a vibrant yellow effect sparked over a card on the table.
—《Purchase》 action activated, targeting 《♥J》.
“…Hmmm?”
The first to react to my move was Saionji.
Brushing back her lavish red hair,
she crossed her arms under her chest,
slightly softening her expression as she spoke.
“Not a Diamond or Spade, but 《♥J》, huh?
Surprisingly whimsical, perhaps?”
“Nah, Saionji, it ain’t that.
Sure, Diamonds are efficient,
and Spades prioritize disruption,
but for rock-solid stability,
a 《Skillified》 Heart is totally viable.
It’s a defensive wall every turn, y’know?
Having it or not makes a huge difference in building a hand.”
“Well, that’s true, but…
Hearing it from you kinda ticks me off.”
Saionji shrugged slightly.
When attacked by a Spade,
Hearts reduce the opponent’s number by their own—
essentially a “shield” forcing the opponent to have a higher number.
With 《♥J (Skillified)》,
even if Ouka’s 《♠Q (Skillified)》 targets us,
it’s weakened to roughly 《♠A》’s effect.
Having that every turn is beyond reliable.
(The 220,000 chips for 《Purchase》 and 《Skillification》 sting, but…)
Still, I should’ve played the best move for this situation.
Anyway—three teams had finished their first turn,
and a new 《♣J》 flipped into the slot of the 《♥J》 I purchased.
It’s a high number,
but among the four suits, Clubs are a “post-victory bonus element,”
so their strategic value is slightly lower.
…And then,
“Hehe… My turn, then. It’s kind of thrilling.”
Gracefully touching the mask at her eyes before stepping closer to the table
was Hagoromo Shion—or rather, 【Violet】.
With an oddly delighted gesture,
she scanned the participants,
then fixed her gaze on the table.
…Currently, the Union team held 《♠7》《♣4》《♣K》.
With Shinra’s 《Flush》 disrupted by Fujishiro,
they were likely the closest to “winning”…
but it’s probably the same as Sumire earlier.
As long as Ouka held the 《♠Q (Skillified)》 “sword,”
aiming for the fastest victory was impossible.
“By the way, Shinohara-san.”
As I was thinking that,
【Violet】, elegantly swaying her hair,
suddenly directed the conversation at me.
Though puzzled, I paused my thoughts and looked up.
“Me? What’s up, 【Violet】?
If you’re saying you wanna defect to Eimei,
you’re more than welcome.”
“No. Sadly, I’m quite well-behaved in my sleep.
That’s not it—
what I wanted to ask is simple:
what would you do in this situation?”
“…? What’re you getting at?”
“Hehe, exactly what I said.
I just wanted to know what kind of move
the Academy Island’s Seven-Star would make.
I wasn’t entirely confident my strategy was correct.”
Saying that, 【Violet】 flashed a charming smile.
Not particularly expecting an answer,
she smoothly shifted her gaze from me
and declared in a calm tone.
“I’ll 《Purchase》 a 【Black Ring】 usage right, a 《Ticket》—
and I’d like to use the ring immediately.
The ring is 【Snatch】,
with the effect of ‘taking one card from another player.’
And so…”
“…Eek!? What, what?
Staring like that makes my heart race!”
“Sorry for staring so rudely.
Anyway, the target is you…
Sumire-san’s 《♦K》.
It’s even 《Skillified》… I’m thrilled, I’ll treasure it.”
“Ah…”
With a gentle smile,
【Violet】 stole Shinra’s 《♦K》
and used an 《Action》 to grab 《♣J》 from the field.
That’s their third Club.
She achieved almost exactly what I’d planned,
but in a far better way.
“—How’s that, Shinohara-san?
Do I pass?”
“Hm… Pretty good, right?
Since no team had a 《Ticket》,
there’s no ring-based interference.
And even if a ring-fueled brawl started…”
“Yes. I think I’d beat most people—
because I’m very strong.”
Smiling softly, 【Violet】 said that.
…Well, she’s not wrong.
The rings she’s collected over these three days number in the hundreds.
If the number of options equates to strength,
she’s stronger than anyone here—
except 【Phantom】.
But… anyway, with such a rocket start,
all teams’ caution shifted squarely to the Union.
In the second turn, Mitsuru from Shinra stepped up,
《Purchasing》 and using a newly flipped 《♠10》
to discard the Union’s 《♣4》.
In Ouka’s turn,
Saionji used 《♠Q (Skillified)》 to crush the Union’s 《♣J》
while finally 《Purchasing》 the 《♦4》.
From Eimei, Himeji opted to secure a 《Ticket》,
while in the Union’s second turn—
Kururugi Senri 《Purchased》 another 《Ticket》.
And then,
“I can’t let 【Violet】 hog all the attention.
【Black Ring: Sweep All From Here to There】 activated—!!”
—Using a cheat ring that allowed 《Purchasing》 up to three field cards at once,
plus the acquisition effect of 《♦K (Skillified)》,
they rapidly built their hand.
Even excluding Skill Cards unusable in hands,
they had 《♦10》《♠J》《♥Q》《♣K》…
a 《Straight》 on the verge.
Plus, 《♥Q》 could be used for deterrence or defense,
making it hard to break.
If so, rather than futilely countering,
it’s better to prepare 《Inheritance》 candidates for the next game.
Likely, all teams reached that conclusion—
when Minami completed a 《Straight》 in the third turn,
no team moved to block,
and the first match went to the Union.
【“Dominate Poker” First Match—Winner: Minami Shizuku / Kururugi Senri / Violet】
【Chips Gained: +2.9 million】
“Hm…”
As the winner was confirmed,
I stared at the message that appeared,
pondering.
…The chip gain was reasonable.
Since players spend over 100,000 chips per turn on average,
a fourth-turn victory yields about 1.5 million chips.
With 《♣K》’s effect, it’s roughly doubled.
As 【Phantom】 predicted,
each person’s chip gain is about 1 million.
(It took twenty minutes…
no, including the transition to the next game, twenty-five minutes.
So, 【Dominate Poker】 will likely end after twelve matches at most,
even optimistically.
No way we’ll hit 10 million playing straight…)
Reconfirming that, I glanced back at my cards.
Team Eimei’s first match—
by the time the Union secured victory,
each of us had taken one turn,
resulting in a final hand of 《♠5》《♦7》《♥10》《♣9》《♥J (Skillified)》.
From here, each player picks a card to 《Inherit》,
and everything else resets for the second match.
And… shortly after,
the cards each team chose to 《Inherit》 were publicly listed.
【Team Eimei: Shinohara Hiroto / Himeji Shirayuki / Phantom: 《♥J (Skillified)》《♦7》《♥10》】
【Team Ouka: Saionji Sarasa / Fujishiro Keiya / Mano Yuka: 《♠Q (Skillified)》《♦3》《♥9》】
【Team Union: Minami Shizuku / Kururugi Senri / Violet: 《♦K (Skillified)》《♠J》《♥Q》】
【Team Shinra: Fuwa Mitsuru / Fuwa Sumire: 《♠10 (Skillified)》《♦8》】
“…Alright.”
Confirming “something” in the displayed info,
I quietly clenched my fist.
Noticing this, 【Phantom】 slightly raised his face.
“‘Alright,’ what?
The high-number Spades and Diamonds are taken.
Aren’t we in the toughest spot…?”
“In terms of hand strength, yes.
But look, 【Phantom】-sama.
No team chose a Club for their 《Inheritance》 card—
exactly as Master predicted.”
“…? Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it?”
To Himeji’s remark,
【Phantom】 tilted his head as if confused.
“I mean, Clubs’ effect is just ‘a bonus when you win.’
It doesn’t affect winning…
It’s not just overlooked;
you can collect them after the game starts, right?”
“Yeah, exactly.
But it’s a blessing that attention shifts away from Clubs.
Since they have no in-game effect,
they won’t be used in 《Action》…
Meaning, if we add a new effect to Clubs,
it won’t be noticed.”
“—!”
Grinning as I said that,
【Phantom】’s jaw dropped slightly, stunned.
…【Black Ring: Revision Addition】.
An effect that adds a new rule of up to ten characters
to the existing rules.
With a fearless smile, I continued explaining calmly.
“In 【Dominate Poker】,
you can 《Inherit》 one card per person to the next game,
up to three per team.
Other cards are reset and return to the deck…
Yeah, I wanted to confirm this too.
Cards not 《Inherited》 are returned to the deck by the dealer.
It’s not like they use new cards each time;
they’re simply shuffled and redrawn.”
“…”
“So, if we can embed some effect into the cards themselves,
they’ll return to the deck and automatically carry over to the next game.
They’ll stay in the game without needing 《Inheritance》.
But Diamonds or Spades won’t do.
The moment someone uses them in 《Action》,
the extra effect would trigger,
and my setup would be exposed.”
“…So Clubs, huh.
Since Clubs won’t be used in 《Action》.”
“Yeah. But doing it multiple times is normally impossible.
Using a ring consumes a 《Ticket》,
and you don’t get the ring back unless you win.
That’s what you were worried about earlier.”
“Y-Yeah… Exactly.
Your setup needs more than one Club, right?”
“Well, yeah.
To guarantee a win, five… no, at least four cards.
…Here, take a look, 【Phantom】.”
Saying that, I turned back to the casino table,
where the second match’s setup had begun.
The playspace displayed hands, Skill Cards,
and 《Tickets》 for ring usage rights…
but now, only the three cards we 《Inherited》 were there.
The 《Ticket》 Himeji had 《Purchased》 was reset.
Seeing this, Himeji, with her cat-like whiskers perked,
spoke in a cool tone.
“In 【Dominate Poker】,
it’s explicitly stated that rings can be used ‘anytime with a 《Ticket》.’
《Tickets》 vanish at the end of each game,
but resources are reset after selecting 《Inheritance》 cards.
There’s a slight delay.
Using a ring at this timing
ensures the 《Ticket》 consumption won’t be noticed.”
“…Well, yeah.
Since it’s gonna disappear anyway, there’s no oddity.”
“Yes. And, for example, in the next match—
suppose Ouka Academy wins,
and among them, 《Empress》-sama,
who’s allied with Master to take down the Union,
has spent the most chips in the team.
If Master uses 【Revision Addition】
during the 《Inheritance》 card selection,
who do you think gets that ring?”
“? It’s before the game switches,
so obviously 《that Empress》… wait, oh.”
“—Exactly.”
Finally grasping the full strategy,
【Phantom】 widened his eyes behind his mask,
while Himeji nodded quietly,
swaying her silver hair.
Yes—in 【Dominate Poker】,
at the moment the game transitions to the next match,
consuming a 《Ticket》 won’t be noticed by anyone.
Of course, the used ring becomes part of the winning team’s reward,
but if it’s my “ally”—
that is, Saionji from Team Ouka—
there’s no issue at all.
By passing 【Revision Addition】 between me and Saionji,
we can fully set up the Clubs in time.
“No way… Seriously?”
Half-doubting, 【Phantom】 said that,
glancing briefly at Ouka’s corner.
“That’d require insane skill from 《that Empress》, right?
I mean…”
“Yeah. Since she’s only faking entry rights with a ring,
Saionji’s chip count should be under 400,000.
Even so, for Ouka’s win,
she needs to ‘spend the most chips in the team’
to pass the ring.
It’s insanely tough, but…”
“Yes, there’s no need to worry.
After all, she is none other than Saionji Sarasa-sama.”
【Phantom】 quietly swallowed at Himeji’s words.
With all concerns cleared,
I grinned again and said,
“Alright… let’s get started.
Time for the tedious, steady ‘sowing’
that’ll lead to the greatest comeback.”
♯♯
【—“Dominate Poker”: Progress Update】
【Winning Team Sequence: Union / Ouka / Union / Eimei / Shinra / Union / Union / Ouka / Eimei / Union】
【Each Player’s Total Chip Balance—】
【Shinohara Hiroto: +210,000 / Himeji Shirayuki: +410,000 / Phantom: +420,000】
【Saionji Sarasa: +120,000 / Fujishiro Keiya: +320,000 / Mano Yuka: +240,000】
【Fuwa Mitsuru: +120,000 / Fuwa Sumire: +200,000】
【Minami Shizuku: +2,780,000 / Kururugi Senri: +3,020,000 / Violet: +3,430,000】
【Dominate Poker】 Eleventh Match.
Less than twenty-five minutes until the 《School Trip Battle Fortissimo》 ends.
As expected, the game leaned slightly in favor of the Union District.
Unlike the tentative first match,
the second match onward saw a sharp escalation in tactics.
With the 《Inheritance》 card element,
《♦K》 and 《♠Q》 flew around from the start,
and with room to divert 《Purchase》 rights to 《Tickets》,
players besides 【Violet】 and Kururugi began using rings.
The Union was clearly dominant,
but consecutive wins were rare.
Even we, Eimei, managed to snag two victories.
(That said, the chip gap is pretty brutal…)
Thinking that, I glared at the total chip balance in 【Dominate Poker】.
…【Violet】 led with +3.43 million chips.
In contrast, I was only at +210,000.
Even by school district,
St. Rosalia and Tsuyuri were overwhelmingly in the lead.
The Alliance. The total score of the 《School Trip Battle Fortissimo》 has widened
the gap even further compared to yesterday.
(…But)
Even so, I shake my head as if to dispel my anxiety.
The current time is 2:15 p.m.—the 《School Trip Battle Fortissimo》
is about to reach its time limit. The games we were in the middle of will have their “earnings until the next settlement timing”
reflected in the total score, so the twelfth match will truly be the final game of the 《School Trip Battle》.
And, as for the crucial 【Revision】… I can say that my “preparations”
from the second match onward are more or less complete. Eimei and Ouka each secured two victories,
successfully embedding hidden effects in a total of four clovers.
This eleventh match will likely be won by the Alliance team—【Violet】 and her group—but at the very least, the minimum preparations are done.
(Well, of course, in the end, 【Phantom】’s cooperation is essential…)
Thinking that, I glance back briefly.
…【Phantom】, or rather, Rindou Kai. The supposedly strongest 【Stranger】
has barely functioned so far. When his turn comes,
he simply 《buys》 a large number and ends his turn immediately.
He hasn’t used a ring even once, merely suppressing the trembling in his body.
And, in stark contrast to him,
“—《Declaration》 successful, isn’t it? As expected, the heart’s 《Flush》 is a very strong hand.”
【Violet】 lets out a soft chuckle as she declares.
…The success of the 《Declaration》. With this, following the tenth match, the winner of the eleventh match is once again decided to be the Alliance team.
While elegantly swaying her doll-like long hair,
【Violet】 smiles gracefully.
“With this, my chips are at +4.52 million… The total score for the Alliance district
should be around 35 million by now, I suppose. Considering everyone’s time, the next game will likely be the last.
I’m sad. I wanted to play with everyone a bit longer…”
“…Oh? Is that so? Then look forward to it, because the next game will be the most exciting.”
“Oh, really? That’s not just Shinohara-san’s sore loser talk, is it?”
“There’s not a single reason to be a sore loser when I haven’t even lost yet.”
【Violet】 falls silent for a moment at my provocative words.
Eventually, she flashes a charming smile and, with a gesture that could captivate anyone, tilts her head slightly—
“Understood. Then I’ll make sure to give you a ‘reason,’ shall I?”
—she retorts with a tone that could be taken as a counter-provocation.
Well… in any case, the eleventh match of 【Dominate Poker】 concludes here.
From now on, it’s the phase to select the 《Inheritance》 cards for the twelfth and final match.
And so, I needed to clear two “conditions” at this timing.
“—Hey, can I have a moment, Saionji?”
While placing a hand on my mask with a refined gesture, I turn to face my red-haired “accomplice.”
In response, she crosses her arms under her chest as usual and gazes back at me with her ruby eyes.
“What is it, Shinohara? …Don’t tell me you’re trying to propose an alliance now?”
“Heh? As expected, Saionji. You hit the nail on the head—we’re planning to go all-in for the final game.
But for that, we need an absolute defensive card. That 《♥K》 you’ve got…
If you bring it and join Team Eimei, we’ll give you a share of the winnings.”
“That’s quite a way to ask for a favor. Besides, your team already has three members from the start.
I don’t see any room for me to join, do you?”
“【Black Ring: Number Build】—the most popular ring on Luna Island. By consuming a 《Ticket》,
we can use it… In short, it changes the team limit from three to four.”
“…Hmm? I see, so it can be used like that.”
Saionji murmurs with a faintly impressed tone.
Then, narrowing her eyes behind her glasses, she scans the members of Team Eimei one by one.
“But that’s not the important part. Judging by your hand and fighting style,
it doesn’t seem like you can turn the tables in the next match…
Do you have any confidence in winning?”
“Hah… If I didn’t, I wouldn’t even think of inviting you, 《Empress》.”
In response, I raise the corner of my mouth slightly and meet her challenge.
By the way, this exchange was decided last night. It’s just a verbal sparring match to give Saionji an “excuse” to join me.
“This game, despite appearances, blatantly favors the strength of the rings you hold—
like how 【Violet】 and Kururugi did in the first match. If you set up the situation and use a ring,
you can usually force a win. But normally, people don’t have such powerful rings,
and it’s hard to compete with 【Violet】’s vast array of options… However.”
“However?”
“You know, don’t you? Our teammate—【Phantom】—is the strongest 【Stranger】 on Luna Island,
with nearly a thousand rings. Winning the final match is a piece of cake for him.”
“…Hmm. Indeed, now that you mention it, there’s no way you’d bring 【Phantom】 here without some kind of confidence.
The strongest 【Stranger】 on Luna Island… huh.”
Saying that, Saionji tosses her luxurious red hair and glances behind her.
Naturally, standing there are her teammates, Fujishiro and Mano.
Mano looks up at Fujishiro with a troubled expression in response to the silent question,
but Fujishiro, on the other hand, nods without any hesitation.
“Yeah… my stance is always the same. If it benefits Ouka, I won’t stop you.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll take you up on that and go on a little business trip. I’ll make sure it’s worth your while.”
“Damn right. If that’s a lie, you’re nothing—not even Ouka’s 《Empress》.”
Saionji lets out a soft chuckle at Fujishiro’s deliberately cold reply before striding confidently toward us.
Transfer to Team Eimei complete—with this, most of the groundwork is laid.
The remaining “condition” is more of a mental one, so to speak.
“—…Why me?”
A faint, hesitant voice suddenly reaches my ears as I let out a quiet breath, welcoming Saionji.
The source of the voice is 【Phantom】. Leaning against a dazzlingly decorated pillar and looking down,
he slightly lifts his white mask, glancing at me, Himeji, and Saionji in turn.
His expression is filled with immense fear and a trembling sense of doubt.
“Why, in such a critical moment, is it me…?
Setting up all eleven matches as a prelude, picking a fight with 【Violet】,
even pulling in Ouka’s ace… Why am I the key to such a grand strategy?
Why do you trust someone like me, of all people?”
“…Why, you ask?”
I tilt my head slightly at 【Phantom】’s question.
“Simply put, because you’re the only one who can do it. …I told you, didn’t I?
I’m betting on the ultimate ‘technique’ you’ve honed. No one else can replicate it.
That’s why it’s you.”
“…!”
“As for the whole trust thing… well, it’s because you came to us on your own.
Last night, this morning—if you hadn’t shown up, that would’ve been the end of it.
We’d have lost without even getting to plan. But you’re here.
…So, there’s no question of believing or not believing.
Since I scouted you, it’s my duty to win with you.”
“…Damn, you sure know how to say cool stuff…”
【Phantom】 runs a hand through his bangs, quietly shaking his head.
…Maybe just one more step. To push him forward, it feels like we’re missing one decisive “something.”
Feeling a faint sense of urgency, I move my right hand toward my mouth—
that’s when it happens.
“—No, no, you three.”
A gentle, chiding voice suddenly comes from behind.
The refined and ladylike voice, devoid of any hostility, belongs to none other than 【Violet】.
At some point, she had approached and now stops gracefully in front of us.
“I don’t know the details, but surrounding one person with three is not okay.
Look, he’s trembling with fear, isn’t he? Poor 【Phantom】-san…”
“…No, hold on, 【Violet】. He’s not trembling because of us—”
“…Oh?”
At that moment, as 【Violet】 turns toward 【Phantom】, she tilts her head slightly.
Immediately after, she steps lightly toward him and stares intently at his masked face.
While 【Phantom】 breaks out in a cold sweat, she remains still for a moment…
then shakes her head gently.
“My mistake. …I’m sorry, 【Phantom】-san. I know someone who looks like you,
and I couldn’t help but check. But now that I think about it, it’s a mix-up.
That person is a player from Academy Island… not a 【Stranger】.”
【Violet】 nods as if convinced, uttering cryptic words.
It sounds like a mere anecdote, but something about it catches my attention, and I narrow my eyes to ask.
“…What’s that about?”
“Curious? Actually, three years ago, I participated in a certain 《Duel》.
There, I took an unexpected hit from a player… It was a shock.”
“Oh? So, did you lose?”
“No, I won. But back then, I had a lot of support…
If it had been one-on-one, I’m sure I would’ve lost. So, I secretly admire them…
That’s why I jumped to conclusions. My apologies.”
“…!”
【Violet】 bows her head with a shy smile, while 【Phantom】’s eyes widen slightly.
The fact she revealed must have been a shock to 【Phantom】—
although 【Violet】 thinks it’s a mix-up, she’s clearly talking about the 《Meltet》 from three years ago.
It’s unmistakably about 【Phantom】. 【Violet】 acknowledges him far more than he realizes—
she genuinely saw him as a threat.
But the gap in their appearances was so vast that he lost confidence in himself.
“…So that’s how it was…”
A stunned murmur brushes my ears. …Because of the white mask, I can’t quite read 【Phantom】’s expression.
But his tone sounds somewhat resolute.
“…Oh? 【Phantom】-san, has your complexion improved a bit?”
Perhaps sensing this, 【Violet】 sways her long hair.
In response to the question from the girl who’s the source of his trauma,
【Phantom】 slowly opens his mouth.
“Yeah… thanks. Maybe the trembling’s eased up a bit because of you.”
“Trembling? Oh, were you catching a cold or something?”
“Something like that. The headache and stomachache I’ve been nursing for three years finally feel better.”
“Oh my… Do I have a knack for being a doctor?”
【Violet】 places a hand on her cheek as she says this, and 【Phantom】 meets her gaze directly,
letting out a faint “Maybe” with a slight smile. The smile is still a bit stiff, but even so.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Shinohara—I’m finally, finally fired up.”
“…Tch, took you long enough.”
As 【Phantom】 lightly raises his device, I let out a relieved smile.
♯♯
The final game of the grade-level competition 《School Trip Battle Fortissimo》—【Dominate Poker】.
The twelfth match has already been ongoing for nearly fifty minutes and is now in its ninth round.
“…What’s going on, kid?”
The one who spoke up, as if losing patience, was Kururugi from the Alliance team.
“Before this final match started, you were talking big and even poached the 《Empress》…
But now that it’s underway, you’re barely even competing. If anything, it’s a stalemate, isn’t it?”
Kururugi lets out a faint sigh, her ninja-like black cloth mask swaying.
Well, she’s basically right—【Dominate Poker】, the casino game.
For the game to drag into the ninth round is a first for the twelfth match.
The 《School Trip Battle Fortissimo》 has already hit its time limit,
so once this game ends, the total scores will be tallied immediately…
But not just us at Eimei—none of the teams’ hands are anywhere close to forming a role.
【Team Eimei: 《♥J (Tech)》《♠3》《♦A》《♦9》《♥K》《♣7》《♣9》《Tickets: 3》】
【Team Ouka: 《♠K (Tech)》《♦7》《♦J》《♥7》《♥10》《♣4》《Tickets: 2》】
【Team Shinra: 《♦Q (Tech)》《♠Q》《♦8》《♦10》《♥6》《♥Q》《Tickets: 1》】
【Team Alliance: 《♦K (Tech)》《♠5》《♠J》《♥4》《♣K》《Tickets: 1》】
—After surveying the situation, Kururugi slowly shakes her black ponytail.
“See? Every team needs at least two more turns to make a hand.
Plus, with everyone’s hands this strong, any move can easily be disrupted.”
“Right… In other words, whatever Stalker-san’s plotting, it’s pointless.
Even with 《♥J》 and 《♥K》, you can’t defend with just those… Paper armor.”
“…Oh? You’re coming at me pretty hard this time, Minami.”
“In 《SFIA》, I couldn’t fight properly… This time, I’m serious. I absolutely won’t lose…”
“Hehe, sounds fun. I’m a bit jealous… Can I join in too?”
“? Join in? But 【Violet】-chan’s been the star from the start… Right?”
“Oh my… I’ve been given a big role. I’ll have to step up.”
【Violet】 interjects into the conversation between me, Kururugi, and Minami, saying this jokingly.
Their hand isn’t exactly close to victory either, but there’s still a clear sense of composure.
Well, that aside.
『—The deck has run out. Reshuffling.』
Just before Eimei’s turn in the tenth round, the dealer pauses the game with that announcement.
Deck depletion—this is the second time it’s happened in the twelfth match.
【Dominate Poker】 uses a standard 52-card deck,
but with repeated diamond acquisitions and spade disruptions, the field’s cards sometimes run out.
In such cases, the dealer reshuffles all the discards to create a new deck.
As everyone relaxes their tension, quietly waiting for the game to resume,
“…”
Only one person—【Phantom】—stares at the dealer’s hands with intense focus, as if holding his breath.
His expression is grim. With a hand lightly on his white mask,
he keeps his piercing gaze fixed on the dealer and the cards.
…And then,
『—Thank you for waiting. Now, we’ll place new field cards…』
“No… Hold on a second, Dealer.”
A halting voice, spoken with slight hesitation.
The man who uttered it—【Phantom】—tosses a jet-black ring projected by AR technology onto the table
and steps forward quietly to my side.
“【Black Ring: Extra Shuffle】 activated. …Sorry to interrupt after you’ve prepared,
but could you let me cut that deck?”
『【Extra Shuffle】… A ring with the effect of “cutting the deck,” as the name suggests.
Understood. However, you cannot look at the card faces. Is that acceptable?』
“Doesn’t matter. It’s not that fancy a ring.”
Saying this, 【Phantom】 steps forward calmly, eventually reaching the dealer.
Under the gaze of all the participants gathered in the lobby, he begins shuffling the deck.
With each team holding about six cards, the deck is a thin stack of roughly thirty cards.
The cards are mixed with deft movements, their order swapped multiple times.
Finally, placing the deck on the table with a tap, 【Phantom】 gives me a faint smile.
“It’s done. —The rest is up to you, boss.”
“Yeah, leave it to me.”
I grin at his words. …The cryptic exchange and the odd use of the ring clearly heighten the others’ wariness,
but unfortunately, all preparations are now complete. All that’s left is to turn the tables.
—I lightly touch my mask.
“【Dominate Poker】, tenth round… Excluding tech cards, Eimei’s hand is 《♠3》《♦A》《♦9》《♥K》《♣7》《♣9》—six cards.
As Kururugi said earlier, making a hand from here would normally take at least two turns, even with diamonds.
Normally, that is.”
“…What do you mean, Hiroto? Are you saying you’re not normal?”
“Nah, it’s not me that’s abnormal—it’s the hand.”
Shaking my head slightly at Sumire’s question, I pick two cards from my hand.
《♣7》 and 《♣9》… Both are clovers, generally considered “low-value.”
Placing the two cards on the table, I continue.
“I doubt anyone noticed, but—I’ve been setting up one ‘trick’ throughout this game.
No, not just the twelfth match—I mean the entirety of 【Dominate Poker】…
To be precise, since the second game. I’ve been aiming for something all along.”
“…There’s one thing that’s been bothering me.”
At that moment, Fuwa Mitsuru speaks up, his expression vague as he continues.
“Shinohara-kun’s team… and also 《Empress》-san’s team,
seemed to end games with 《Tickets》 left unusually often.
There were games where you could’ve held on if you used a ring,
but Shinohara-kun prioritized something else. Am I wrong?”
“Spot on. …You’re too sharp, man.”
I can’t help but give a wry smile at Fuwa Mitsuru’s observation. I didn’t expect anyone to notice, but.
“Anyway—it wasn’t like we were just holding onto them.
We were using them every time. At the moment the game switched…
Right before the 《Tickets》 reset.”
“Oh… As expected of Stalker-san. A professional’s crime…”
“You’re saying one word too many. …At that timing, no one would notice if I used a ring.
Plus, I only did it when Saionji won.
And Saionji did the same when I won… This way, the rings aren’t consumed.”
“…Wait. So, you and 《Empress》-dono weren’t just teaming up for this twelfth match,
but from the very start…? Why would you two do such a thing?”
“Don’t be silly. It’s obviously because you guys were too strong.
The Alliance district, with Shizuku, Senri, and 【Violet】 joining in.
After getting crushed yesterday, there’s no way we’d come back without a plan, right?
Besides, me and Shinohara—two players who get along so badly—teaming up?
No one would’ve predicted that.”
“Exactly. I wouldn’t team up with Saionji unless the situation forced me to.”
We exchange defiant glances while throwing provocative words at each other.
“…Bad relationship? It doesn’t look that way at all…”
Seeing this, 【Violet】 lets her lips curl slightly.
It should be an unwelcome situation for her, but her expression and tone remain cheerful.
As if eagerly awaiting the move Saionji and I will make, she asks with a bright smile.
“So, what was the effect of the ring Shinohara-san used?
You said you used it multiple times in secret… Does it have something to do with the two cards you just laid out?”
I nod slightly at 【Violet】’s reasonable deduction, saying, “Yeah.”
“【Revision】—that’s the ring I used. Its effect is literally ‘revision’…
It allows you to add any single sentence to the game’s rules or a card.
But you’re limited to ten characters. You can’t erase existing text,
and it can’t cause contradictions. It’s a special effect of the orange star.”
“A reward from 《SFIA》… A tyrannical effect, fitting for Stalker-san.
But… what does it do?”
“What? Isn’t it obvious? We’ve been engraving it every time a game ended.
On clover cards, which originally have no in-game effects…
We gave them new effects.”
“…Huh?”
A faint spark of surprise flickers in Minami’s languid blue eyes.
Watching her, I gently touch my device to the 《♣7》 in front of me.
Instantly, the card’s effect text is projected above the table.
In addition to the clover’s original “bonus effect,” a new clause has been added at the end:
【Value Shift: Up to the card’s number】
“…The character limit makes it pretty simplistic, but it’s similar to 【Black Ring: Number Build】.
It shifts the target card’s number up or down by the user’s number…
We embedded this effect into as many clovers as possible.”
“What… But if such a trick existed, we should’ve noticed!”
“Really? The card’s effect text doesn’t pop up unless you do this,
and clovers are never used for 《Actions》. There’s no chance to notice.”
I say this nonchalantly. …In truth, I had the 《Company》 apply a blackout process
to ensure the effect text wouldn’t be noticed even if seen, but no need to mention that.
“‘Shift a card’s number up to its own value’—this turns the affected clover
into a powerful card in an instant. For example, Eimei’s hand is 《♠3》《♦A》《♦9》《♥K》《♣7》《♣9》…
So, if I apply 《♣7》 to 《♠3》 to make 《♠♣10》,
and apply 《♣7》 to the 《♥5》 gained via 《♦9》 to make 《♥♣Q》,
at that point, I’d have 《♠♣10》《♥♣Q》《♥K》《♦A》.”
“…Um, is this supposed to be a setup for a quip? Shinohara-san, that doesn’t make anything.
You need a J to make a 《Straight》.”
“I know. But I can just 《buy》 that.”
Saying this, I quietly look down at the table.
Actually, no cards have been placed yet—because I interrupted the dealer’s actions to start this “reveal.”
Perhaps picking up on the flow of the conversation, the dealer standing by gently places a hand on the deck.
『Setting ten cards on the field—』
The cards are flipped one by one with practiced hands.
Here, 《♦J》《♥J》《♠J》 are already held in some form,
so the only hit would be 《♣J》. With about thirty cards in the deck,
the odds of 《♣J》 appearing are slightly less than fifty-fifty. …But,
“No need to pray, really—because 《♣J》 is the eighth card.”
“—!?”
As 【Violet】’s eyes widen slightly behind her mask,
the dealer flips the eighth card face-up. The number etched there is unmistakably 《♣J》—
the final piece Team Eimei needs to complete a 《Straight》.
“No… way…”
【Violet】 places a hand over her mouth with refined grace, slightly turning her body.
Her gaze lands on none other than 【Phantom】.
“Was it you? During that shuffle, you swapped the position of 《♣J》…?”
“…No, that’s not quite right.”
In response, 【Phantom】 answers firmly, though his voice wavers slightly.
“I didn’t just swap 《♣J》—I swapped everything.
While watching the dealer’s shuffle, I memorized the order
and rearranged them exactly as Shinohara asked.
So, everyone, brace yourselves. Once our 《Declaration》 goes through,
the cards you want won’t come up… No matter how hard you try,
you can’t make a hand stronger than a 《Straight》.”
“My goodness… I’m genuinely, truly shocked.”
Clearly stunned, 【Violet】 says this candidly.
【Phantom】’s ultimate “technique,” the culmination of three years of effort, is cornering her.
“…But I won’t let you win so easily… I don’t want to lose.”
At that moment, the one who quietly interjects is Minami Shizuku, the 《Blue Flame of Nagi》.
Raising her now fully awake blue eyes, she consumes a 《Ticket》 to declare the use of a ring.
“【Steal】 activated… I’m taking all of Stalker-san’s hand. No questions asked, a big win—”
“—As if it’d be that easy, Shizuku. Who do you think Shinohara’s teamed up with?
Consuming a 《Ticket》 to activate the 【Absolute Defense】 ring.
Back in 《SFIA》, it was a blatant lie…
But I always keep an emergency escape route ready.”
“! …My mistake.”
Minami lets out a low groan, her blue hair swaying.
No further disruptions occur at this timing,
and I consume 110,000 chips to 《buy》 《♣J》,
then make a 《Declaration》 with 《♠♣10》《♣J》《♥♣Q》《♥K》《♦A》 for a 《Straight》.
Five cards line up in my hand, poised for victory in the final match.
“…Just so you know, I’m folding. There’s not a single reason to interfere with Ouka’s 《Empress》.”
“Hmm, I guess I’m out too. I wanted to land a hit, but this hand’s a bit too tough.”
The next turn players, Fujishiro from Ouka and Fuwa Mitsuru from Shinra,
quietly fold for their respective reasons.
Fujishiro’s decision is obvious, and Fuwa Mitsuru is a wise one.
With 【Phantom】 tampering with the deck,
there’s no chance of making a hand stronger than a 《Straight》 through normal play.
The only way to turn the tables now would be a 【Black Ring】.
And if that’s the case—naturally, the final wall is her.
“My turn, isn’t it? …Hehe, it’s certainly getting very exciting.”
【Violet】 says this with a melodic voice, letting out a graceful smile.
Yes—that’s right. She alone could overturn this situation.
It’s unthinkable that someone with hundreds of rings would have no countermeasures.
There’s no such convenient miracle.
Swaying her long hair as she 《buys》 a 《Ticket》, 【Violet】 continues calmly.
“Shinohara-san, you’ve surprised me a lot. Honestly, I didn’t expect to be cornered like this.
But even so, the stronger player wins the game—
I have plenty of rings that can handle this situation, you know?
A ring to cancel your actions, a ring to absorb earnings,
a ring to force the game to end… and so on.”
“…Oh? That’s a pretty violent lineup of rings.
But aren’t you forgetting? We still have one 《Ticket》 left—
make a reckless move, and you’ll get countered and done for.”
“Mmm… But that would just lead to an eternal standoff. Are you okay with that?”
“Nah, that’s the last thing I want. …So, let’s make a bet, 【Violet】.”
Saying this, I manifest a single ring and raise a defiant gaze.
“I’ve prepared one 【Black Ring】 here. I won’t tell you its effect yet—
but it’s a ring that perfectly counters a specific situation.
I predicted your actions, guessed what you’d choose from your countless options,
and prepared the optimal counter for it.”
“My goodness… Is Shinohara-san a psychic?”
“Not quite. But I’m absolutely confident it’ll hit—
after all, I got the stamp of approval from the people who know you best.”
I say this with a slight smirk. …I can’t say it out loud here,
but of course, I’m talking about Himeji and Saionji.
The two who are close friends with 【Violet】, aka Hagoromo Shion.
She seems to realize this, her expression showing a hint of understanding.
Looking at her, I quietly continue.
“Now, it’s up to you to choose, 【Violet】—
you can come at me head-on or take a detour.
You can play your favorite way or deliberately betray it.
In true Luna Island style, let’s make it a one-in-eight gamble, shall we?”
“…”
【Violet】 falls silent for a moment at my provocation.
Then, as if resolving herself, she flashes a graceful smile
and directs her gaze through her mask straight at me.
“Very well. Then my choice… is this.”
Her delicate fingers trace the cards placed before her.
At that moment, the cards touched by 【Violet】 begin to transform en masse.
Their original suits and numbers vanish,
replaced by the creeping pattern of 《JOKER Death God》.
“【Black Ring: Death God Creation】—I turn all my hand into 《JOKER》.
In poker, 《JOKER》 is a special card that can substitute for any other…
And the substitutions are as follows:
《♠10》《♠J》《♠Q》《♠K》《♠A》—a so-called 《Royal Flush》.
It’s far stronger than a 《Straight》. …What do you think, Shinohara-san?
Did you foresee this future?”
【Violet】 tilts her head with a playful smile.
Facing her head-on as she plays an unimaginably vicious ring,
I—
『—The final provocation, huh? Yes, I think Shion-sama will take it head-on.
She’s surprisingly prideful, so…
winning by avoiding the challenge isn’t her style.』
『Right. She’ll probably try to beat Shinohara’s hand fair and square.
And with her flashiest move. That’s what makes her a bit clumsy…
Well, I love that about her, though.』
—recall the conversation from last night and let out a quiet sigh of relief.
“Well, yeah… It’s exactly as I predicted.”
【Violet】’s brow twitches slightly, but I have no intention of explaining further.
With a bold smile, I reveal the effect of the ring I’d kept hidden.
“Here’s my choice—【Situation Reversal】. For this turn only, it reverses the strength of hands.
…I knew you’d come with the strongest hand.
With 【Situation Reversal】 in play, the hierarchy is completely flipped.
A 《Royal Flush》 can’t beat a 《Straight》.”
“—!”
Against me, using the same ring that decided the match with 【Phantom】—
essentially a deliberately narrowed version of 【Revision】’s rule-changing effect—
【Violet】’s eyes widen slightly behind her mask.
The pinpoint counter I declared is, indeed, a sure hit.
She quietly looks at Himeji, then Saionji, and finally at me,
“I understand. …It’s my loss.”
—and eventually says this, her words tinged with a faint hint of joy.
With this, the turn cycles back, and Team Eimei’s 《Declaration》 is established—
the winner of the long, drawn-out twelfth match is the four of us.
The total chips spent over eleven rounds amount to nearly 8 million,
and our hand is 《♠♣10》《♣J》《♥♣Q》《♥K》《♦A》…
The total clover count is 【33】. The bonus is the maximum, fivefold.
In total, Team Eimei’s earnings for the eleventh match are just under +40 million chips.
These are split among the four of us—
and the 《School Trip Battle Fortissimo》 now awaits only the final tally.
【Second Semester Grade-Level Competition 《School Trip Battle Fortissimo》—Period Concluded】
【Rankings: Calculating…】
Kagaya: Yahoo, another mission completed without a hitch this time!
Kagaya: Glad we won, but as always, Hiro-kyun is such a slave driver, huh.
Tsumugi: Yup! But if it’s Onii-chan’s request, I can’t really say no, right?
Tsumugi: Plus, I had a ton of fun this time!
Kagaya: True, Tsumu-Tsumu, you were even more amazing than Onee-san out there.
Kagaya: Not just cheating, but that jet-black… oops, that’s still a secret, isn’t it?
Kagaya: Anyway, Tsumu-Tsumu, let’s go grab some food! And the beach, the beach! Just working on Luna Island is such a waste! This island’s got everything!
Tsumugi: Really!? Yaaaay!!
Tsumugi: Then I wanna try eating a dragon! And, and… I wanna drink a healing potion!
Kagaya: That’s a bit—well, maybe they’ve got something like that!?
Kagaya: Let’s go look for it, Tsumu-Tsumu!
Tsumugi: Woo-hoo! I love you, Onee-chan!
